A community in Northern British Columbia is experiencing limited access to urgent medical care due to a lack of physicians, leading Northern Health to reduce operating hours at Nats’oojeh Hospital until at least October. Nats’oojeh Hospital and Health Centre in Fort St. James caters to the local municipality and various remote Indigenous communities nearby.
Northern Health recently announced that due to insufficient doctor coverage, the hospital cannot sustain around-the-clock emergency services while also ensuring daytime primary care and preventing physician exhaustion. Consequently, the emergency department will operate on a modified schedule temporarily as Northern Health actively recruits physicians and seeks locum support.
The emergency department will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, potentially adjusting to 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. based on physician availability. Weekend coverage details will be provided weekly. The health authority anticipates the reduced emergency department hours to persist until at least October with uncertain prospects of returning to 24/7 coverage.
Fort St. James Mayor Martin Elphee expressed frustration over the ongoing reduced schedule, stating that the situation is likely to persist for weeks. Northern Health’s Vice President of Clinical Operations, Lisa Zetes-Zanatta, emphasized that the current reduction is temporary to prevent further physician burnout.
The mayor highlighted instances of emergency room closures due to staffing shortages, stressing the community’s need for consistent healthcare services. Despite the challenges, recruitment efforts are ongoing, with the expectation of new physicians starting as early as September. Elphee mentioned collaborative efforts with healthcare recruiters and community leaders to attract medical professionals to the region.
Northern Health aims to provide regular updates on initiatives to enhance emergency care accessibility in Fort St. James, with the goal of reinstating full hospital services once adequate staffing is secured.