The NWT health authority has shared further information about contingency plans for the emergency room at Stanton Territorial Hospital amid staff shortages.
In April, some NWT doctors raised concerns that physician shortages could cause the Yellowknife hospital’s emergency room to close. NWT health officials, however, insisted that would not happen and increased pay rates for locum physicians among other steps to address the issue.
In an update on Wednesday afternoon, the NWT Health and Social Services Authority, or NTHSSA, said it would “always aim to maintain access to services” in the emergency room.
It said approaches to keep Stanton’s emergency department open this summer could include staffing with 12-hour physician shifts rather than the existing eight-hour shift model. It said while that is “not an ideal or sustainable long-term solution” it may be required in the short term.
The health authority said staffing to maintain services at Yellowknife’s emergency room could also include physicians who normally work in lower-volume emergency departments, such as those in Inuvik or Hay River, or by adding more family physicians to the shift schedule.
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It said staff would be supported by on-call specialists and other health care providers as needed.
Health officials further said they could redeploy staff from other health services or add more nurses, paramedics or respiratory therapists to the emergency room to support patients.
“This may mean service reductions in other program areas but these combined efforts will help to sustain critical emergency services while mitigating impacts on staff and overall service delivery,” NTHSSA stated.
As a last resort, the health authority said it would “weigh the impact” of recalling staff on leave.
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The health authority said it has previously used some of those strategies during unexpected staff shortages and was taking a more proactive planning approach.
Beyond staffing, it said it would assess virtual care options among other “innovative care models.”
“We understand that these challenges may also mean longer wait times in the [emergency department], and this can be frustrating,” the health authority acknowledged, asking residents to be kind to staff.
“While staffing challenges may affect how quickly you are seen, please rest assured that your health and safety remain the top priority. Every patient will continue to receive safe, compassionate care, and those with the most urgent needs will always be prioritized using the triage system.”
The health authority advised residents with non-urgent health needs to contact 8-1-1 to speak with a registered nurse about their current health situation, mental wellness, addiction recovery or to get in touch with poison control.
In an email to all NTHSSA staff, which was shared with Cabin Radio, territorial medical director Dr Claudia Kraft said leadership teams across the territory have been working with staff to find creative ways to mitigate challenges.
“As we continue to engage with staff and listen and incorporate your ideas, we still hope to avoid or minimize the need to implement many of these plans, but we have learned from years of emergency response that it is essential to have plans in place in case they are needed,” she wrote.
She added that while issues are often at the forefront of political and media coverage, there are also examples of great healthcare and patient-centred initiatives in the NWT and thanked staff for their work.
