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Rural and northern hospitals in Ontario are on edge as they await updates from the provincial government regarding a crucial program that supports the operation of emergency rooms (ERs). The program, which has recently ended, provided significant assistance to these facilities.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones’ office has indicated efforts are underway to establish a permanent solution following the conclusion of the temporary program. However, healthcare professionals who are tasked with maintaining ER availability are expressing concerns over staffing challenges that could threaten service continuity.
Ann Fenlon, who coordinates medical recruitment and retention at Lady Dunn Health Centre in Wawa, Ontario, emphasized the dire situation, stating, “With our current staffing shortages, maintaining a 24-hour ER is only feasible with external physician support.” The community, expected to have seven doctors providing both family and emergency services, is currently struggling with only three physicians available. Although the ER has not yet had to close, Fenlon indicated they are frequently on the brink of doing so.
She underscored the community’s geographical isolation, noting, “We’re 240 kilometres away from the next hospital. If we close, people die.”
The Temporary Locum Program was designed to incentivize doctors—primarily from urban areas—to take on emergency department shifts in these more remote settings temporarily. This initiative was initially implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, but as rural hospitals experienced ongoing staffing difficulties, reliance on this program grew significantly.
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“The section fully recognizes the significant impact that the end of this program will have on the staffing stability of emergency departments throughout Ontario,” Marrocco wrote. She noted that the OMA is committed to advocating for strategies to address potential disruptions that might arise from the gap between the expiration of the Temporary Locum Program (TLP) and the rollout of a more permanent alternative.
A representative for Jones reiterated that the intention has always been to transition to a permanent program and that discussions are ongoing with the OMA to facilitate this. Hannah Jensen stated, “Hospitals can maintain physician scheduling as needed while we collaborate with the Ontario Medical Association to convert the temporary locum program into a permanent solution under the new Physician Services Agreement.”
However, as Melanie Goulet, recruitment coordinator for health professionals at Notre-Dame Hospital in Hearst, Ontario, pointed out, the issue extends beyond the ability to schedule locum physicians—it is fundamentally about the availability of funding to attract doctors to fill these vital shifts. She expressed her fears about the impact on ongoing recruitment efforts, noting that financial incentives are critical.
“While we will continue to try to book locum doctors, the uncertainty surrounding compensation leaves us in a difficult position,” Goulet stated. She highlighted a concern regarding whether the pay for current locum physicians in Hearst, which can be as high as $900 for a 12-hour shift, will be processed retroactively. The confusion creates challenges for both recruitment and the morale of existing staff.
In addition to the TLP, the ministry has an Emergency Department Locum Program, although it operates under different criteria that primarily address urgent or last-minute staffing needs, making long-term planning challenging. Goulet emphasized that both programs are essential for sustaining ER operations.
The Temporary Locum Program had been extended several times in the past, in some instances well beyond its expiration date. Fenlon expressed a desire for clarity, stating, “We’ve always understood this was a temporary program, but they’ve had ample time to devise a more permanent solution.”
The ongoing uncertainty surrounding emergency department staffing continues to raise alarms in Ontario’s rural and northern communities, as they navigate the challenges of providing critical healthcare services without immediate clarity from provincial authorities.
Source
globalnews.ca