A community in Northern British Columbia is experiencing a decrease in emergency care availability 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, located in Fort St. James, caters to the local municipality and various remote Indigenous communities in the vicinity.
Northern Health recently announced that due to insufficient doctor staffing to ensure 24/7 emergency coverage while maintaining daytime primary care and preventing physician burnout, the emergency department will operate on a limited schedule temporarily. The hours will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, potentially changing to 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. based on physician availability, with weekend coverage updates provided weekly.
This reduced emergency department operation is expected to continue until October, with no specific timeline for the return to round-the-clock coverage. The nearest alternative hospital is approximately 60 kilometers away in Vanderhoof.
Mayor Martin Elphee of Fort St. James expressed frustration over the prolonged reduced schedule, stating that the situation is expected to persist for several weeks until October. Lisa Zetes-Zanatta, Vice President of Clinical Operations at Northern Health, assured that the current service reduction is temporary and aims to prevent further physician burnout.
The mayor highlighted that there have been multiple closures of the emergency room on weekends since July 1, with around 75 closures reported this year. Despite after-hours care being available through 911 and BCEHS, Elphee emphasized the challenge of the long journey to the nearest hospital during emergencies.
Recruitment efforts are ongoing to address the physician shortage in Fort St. James, with the community currently operating at half its doctor capacity. New physicians are anticipated to join as early as September, with community leaders collaborating with health authorities to attract more doctors to the region.
Northern Health plans to provide regular updates on initiatives to enhance emergency care accessibility in Fort St. James, aiming to restore the hospital to its original service level by addressing staffing challenges and potential locum support.