Manitobans should take note of unstable Emergency Room operations across rural Manitoba this summer, with doctors urging them to learn more and plan ahead by visiting Rural​Care​.ca.

“Whether you live in a rural community or plan to visit one this summer, it’s important to remember that the vast majority of hospitals in Manitoba won’t have their ERs open 24/7 this summer,” explained Dr. Nichelle Desilets, President of Doctors Manitoba and a rural family physician practicing in Neepawa. ​“With changing hours of operation and periodic closures, it can be difficult to anticipate if and when your local ER will be open. It’s important to plan ahead by visiting Rural​Care​.ca to understand the status of nearby ERs in case someone needs care, and during a medical emergency it’s best to call 911.” 

During summer months, ERs often experience increased instability leading to longer wait times, reduced hours of operation, partial closures, and sometimes full suspensions of service. A detailed review of ER schedules and physician feedback has supported the development of an operating forecast for this summer, suggesting:

• 20 ERs should be reliably open 24/7,
• 24 ERs are expected to operate with reduced hours and/​or periodic closures, and
• 28 ERs are expected to be fully closed, including 5 still considered a temporary suspension, and 23 under longer term closure.

Dr. Desilets emphasized the additional risks this season. ​“We are expecting more travel within the province this summer as Manitobans avoid traveling south of the border, and that adds more pressure on our hospitals and the potential for more confusion about where to find an open ER.” 

Doctors Manitoba started more closely monitoring rural ER operations in 2022, and some concerning trends have been identified:

• During the pandemic, several rural ERs temporarily decreased from 24/7 to daytime only operation, and these reduced hours appear to be a permanent in many cases.
• Several ERs that used to be reliably open 24/7 are experiencing periodic closures, including communities such as Gimli, Minnedosa, Carman, and Crystal City, 
• ERs in Brandon, Boundary Trails (Morden/​Winkler) and Steinbach are experiencing high physician vacancies, and while 24/7 coverage is expected to be maintained, reduced physician coverage will likely lead to longer waits. 

A survey this month of ER physicians found high levels of burnout and distress, with nearly a third (30%) of physicians indicating they are considering reducing their hours or resigning their ER duties completely if conditions don’t change. Additional details about the survey and ER operating forecasts can be found in this report.

The Rural​Care​.ca website was created by Doctors Manitoba as a one-stop resource with advice from a team of rural and Northern physicians. Manitobans will find the following at Rural​Care​.ca:

• Advice from physicians about how to plan ahead given the number of ERs with expected closures or reduced hours. 
• Guidance about what to do during a medical emergency.
• Links to local ER schedules for each health region.