Solutions Sought for Digby Area

NOTE: The following is an Op-Ed piece by Health Minister Chris d'Entremont.

The recent situation created at the Digby emergency room, when a well-liked local doctor relocated, is difficult.

I know that everyone in Digby is understandably concerned. I also know that this situation may well create more work for health-care professionals in neighbouring communities like Annapolis Royal and Yarmouth. I am more than appreciative of the service they are providing in this challenging time.

The health and welfare of Digby residents, and of every Nova Scotian and all our health-care providers, could not be more important to me. Like you, I agree that we must work together to find solutions. That's why my staff and I are working closely with members of your community and Doctors Nova Scotia to find them.

Your readers may have heard that a proposal came forward to the Department of Health. It asked the province to fund the Digby hospital at a level that would effectively create two major regional emergency departments in the district. No other health district in the province has two major regional ERs. More than one would be difficult, if not impossible, to sustain.

Your readers may not have heard that the Department of Health has also proposed a plan to increase funding. This plan has worked in other areas, and I strongly believe it can work here, too. The emergency department will be covered more consistently, and Digby will have another tool to help recruit more family physicians.

We are suggesting that a family-physician contract be put in place. Basically, this means that about $200,000 will be added to the pool of money that funds the emergency department. It also means that support for a new full-time family physician will be in place. With this money, provincial support for physicians who cover the Digby emergency room would amount to close to $1-million every year.

We will continue to meet with representatives from Digby and Doctors Nova Scotia to talk more about the benefits of this plan. Until full service is restored to Digby's emergency room, and those patients who are losing their family doctor have alternative care, we will not stop working.

We are also exploring alternative solutions with the district, doctors and others. On June 26, I received by mail a proposal that would see nurse practitioners collaborating with physicians in Digby. We are carefully looking at, and discussing this option with the district.

In North America we are in a difficult position. There seems to be fewer doctors interested in practicing in rural areas. Health needs are changing. Populations are shifting. Doctors have different job expectations. Regardless of the reasons, competition for health-care professionals is intense.

As we've done for some time, Nova Scotia will continue to heavily support physician recruitment in the districts through a number of provincial programs. But, it is clear that we must embrace new ways of providing health care. The province and all district health authorities are conducting a provincewide review of services. This will go a long way toward finding innovative and sustainable ideas that make sure Nova Scotians get the care they need and deserve.

In time, I believe that the ideas that will come from this review will help us find a better way. In the short term, I look forward to working with our partners in Digby to implement a solution.