October 10, 2024
Hi everyone,
I wanted to provide you with an update on the recent challenges we've faced in staffing our Emergency Department at KCMH, and similar challenges across the system.
As you know, we've experienced difficulty filling physician shifts this fall, leading to the closure of four Saturday shifts thus far.
This issue is ongoing and between now and January 5, we have just one Saturday shift filled at KCMH. Similarly, there have been sporadic early closures at Western Hospital due to thin staffing, where a single sick call or a similar issue can result in a service disruption.
To put it simply: Our emergency departments require more staff, including physicians, to offer resilient service.
I spoke with CBC about this yesterday, and I want to be clear to you all that Health PEI as a system is dedicated to maintaining each of our emergency departments. The KCMH, QEH, PCH and Western Hospital emergency departments are vital services to the public and part of a province-wide network that offers life-and-limb saving care, and much more.
We're working diligently to address this issue and secure long-term physician and nurse practitioner resources, while working to bring in additional support in the short term through locums.
As a key measure, we are increasing our current emergency department physician staffing across the province by 15, recognizing the need for more direct ED staff to support care.
We recognize this solution will take time, even as we take advantage of new and enhanced physician recruitment pathways.
To ensure continuity of care, we've implemented several immediate strategies aimed at reducing the ED pressures and maintaining services:
- Increased locum incentives: We've raised daily rates and offered rural and remote shift incentives to attract more locum physicians.
- Decanting model: Patients with less urgent needs are being directed to a family physician near our community hospitals.
- NP clinics: We've added an NP decanting clinic in Montague one evening a week with the possibility of expanding its hours.
- Increased physician hours: We've increased the number of physician hours per shift.
- Primary Care Access Clinic: We've introduced a PCACs across PEI to enhance access to in-person care.
- New Professionals: We are looking at ways to introduce more NPs, Physician Assistants or Associate Physicians into emergency departments.
While these measures are meant to help in the short term, our long-term goal is to recruit and retain a permanent team of physicians and nurse practitioners to staff EDs alongside our complement of nurses and allied health staff.
I want to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for your hard work and dedication during this time. Your commitment to providing exceptional care to our community is truly inspiring.
Thank you,
Mel