Doctors warn of pediatric service disruptions in Kelowna ER

A group of physicians at Kelowna General Hospital is raising the alarm about their emergency ward's capacity for pediatric care amid staffing shortages.

The Kelowna Emergency Department Physician Group said in a Friday advisory that service disruptions for pediatric care in the emergency department (ED) could start as early as next week, as there are currently no pediatricians scheduled for this work on Sept. 16 and 18 from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m.

"Pediatric physicians have been consistently working above maximum capacity for some time," the group said.

According to the advisory, the physicians also expect further disruptions in October, November and December, though they say the affected dates are still subject to change.

They saidpediatric patients should still seek care at the nearest emergency department during these times, but they also warned that those who are critically ill or medically complex may have to be sent to another hospital.

Dr. Douglas Smith, VP of medicine for Interior Health, told CBC News that the health authority and its partners are actively working to address the issue of staffing shortages by recruiting pediatricians locally, nationally and internationally.

In particular, Smith said in a statement that they have been able to recruit three pediatricians at Kelowna General Hospital, which he credited with helping to prevent service disruptions until now.

"Any changes to normal services are made only as a last resort after all efforts to secure physicians or staff have been exhausted," he said.

Beyond pediatric care, emergency rooms in the B.C. Interior, in general, have seen dozens of temporary closures over the past few months. According to Interior Health, there were 28 service interruptions across the region this July alone 10 of which were at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake.

Health Minister Adrian Dix was also asked about the matter at a Friday news conference.

"Like a lot of communities, hospitals will work together in neighbouring communities to support one another," Dix said. "Kelowna historically has provided extraordinary support to other hospitals around the region so we will be working to make sure that they will get the support they need in this case."