Staffing shortages in healthcare continue to cause issues across the province.
The E.M. Crowe Memorial Hospital in Eriksdale will be without a doctor in their emergency department until at least December 15th. A schedule posted to the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authorities website shows the shortage.
Patients in need of service will be directed to either Ashern, which is 39 km away, or Arborg, which is 62 km away, but has a very limited number of days with a doctor in the department.
Doctors Manitoba said earlier this week that the province is 405 doctors short of the national average, leaving Manitoba with the third-lowest number of Doctors per capita of any province. Dr. Candace Bradshaw, President of Doctors Manitoba, says the shortage is now the biggest it's ever been.
“The doctor shortage affects all Manitoba families, whether you’re trying to find a family doctor, waiting to see a specialist, worried about overwhelmed ERs, or stuck in the surgery and testing backlog.“
Dr. Bradshaw says the shortage is likely going to continue getting worse before it gets better.
“Without a big change, the physician shortage is projected to get even worse in the short term, with 43% of physicians planning on retiring, leaving Manitoba, or reducing their clinical hours.”
Doctors Manitoba says over the past 20 years, Manitoba has struggled to keep up with other provinces, with the smallest increase in physicians per capita in the nation.
