There should be “ready access” to high level medical services throughout BC

On CTV News from Vancouver on Monday night, they had a story about the ER in Princeton being closed for the day.  So where was the nearest hospital?? … one hour away in Penticton.

My thoughts were, and still are, that this is completely wrong --- the Interior Health Authority hanging a sign that says "Sorry Were Closed" is a totally unacceptable contingency plan.   In my opinion, the government’s grand scheme to centralize hospital administration, often time’s hours from a community, has proven to be a disastrous plan.

Oh sure it’s worked well for the larger centres where more and more of the medical care is ending up.  What about smaller rural communities however; many of which are where logging, mining, construction and other more dangerous type jobs are done.  For them prompt medical attention, in the case of an accident, may be critical.

I posted my comments on my Facebook page, where several people happened to give their thoughts on the topic.  Here is how that conversation went:

Writer #1
The Hospital my son, and daughter- in-law, practice at doesn't have that problem. If a malady is diagnosed you go straight to treatment or surgery, no detours! Oh yes, it's in the US. We pay lots of taxes but get poor medical service for our investment.

Writer #2
I've heard it said (and it may be a *bit* of an overstatement), that the only thing "universal" about Canada's universal health care system is that "everybody waits."  Sad ... but very true in many instances.

Writer #3
Can't keep ER teams in small towns any more. Just a fact. Air ambulance to Penticton General, a fine hospital where I was born, is the efficient option.

Me, in response to writer #3
Probably in most cases (name withheld) --- but not in a true life and death emergency. Having the ER closed in a community of 5,000 people is simply a statement on how screwed up the system has become.

Ditto for smaller communities all over the interior too, who seem to bear the brunt of closures and lack of service.  Talk about insanity … I recall a year or so back IHA had money to pave the parking lot at the Ashcroft Hospital --- staff to keep it open though?? well that was another story.

Here's a question; how would it go over in Victoria, Vancouver, or Kelowna, for example, if the hospitals all closed their emergency rooms on a long weekend and then told people to head for the nearest hospital an hour away??? We all know how ell that would go over --- and yet small rural communities in BC continually get the scraps left over in the health authority budgets :(

Me,  in response to a person who had noted they “Liked” the reply from Writer #3
Same question to you as well (name withheld) … how would it go over if the emergency room at Cariboo Memorial Hospital had been closed today, and let's say there had been a severe accident at Tolko Mills that required immediate medical attention??

Their response to me:

Yes - well, I agree that residents' would be, and have been, rightly critical when there is a lack of medical resources at our local hospital.  Having said that though - I do agree with the sentiments of (name withheld) on this topic.

Another thing to consider - as of now, we lack here a ultrasound technologist and I'm told that this is a worldwide issue, due to lack of training spaces and the fact that they are wanted worldwide. I believe the time has come to review the regionalization of health services from 2002 until now and see what has worked, what hasn't (and there are many things in the health sector that hasn't worked because of regionalization) and what can be improved and yes - the general public must be involved in such a review

So … what IS the answer?  I know I don’t have it.  What I do know however is that many people in communities like Princeton … Logan Lake … Chase … Lillooet … and a multitude of smaller rural communities all over the province are saying the health system in BC is not working … and that it is not providing them with the medical care they should be receiving.

Meantime, the BC Conservatives are calling for public accountability and transparency in the delivery of health care services, by ensuring members of Health Authority Boards are democratically elected in a manner adequately reflecting the population distribution and health care needs within the geographic boundaries of each Authority.  They are also saying Health Authority Boards should be committed to the development of tertiary care facilities that reflect a geographic distribution – and one that results in ready access to high level medical services throughout each of the Health Authorities.

I am not sure that will solve the problem, but it is a step, and it’s one that I think recognizes a real need.

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops … and these are the thoughts of one conservative.