Rural Medicine Spotlight
334 words / 1.5 min read
Doctors Manitoba President Dr. Randy Guzman and DRMB staff met physicians and health system leaders in Morden and Winkler this week to learn about what is working well and what help they need. This followed a press conference on Tuesday where we advised the public to be on the lookout for ER closures this holiday season.
WHY IT MATTERS: Physician shortages are straining health care access, especially in rural and northern communities, leaving patients with less access to care and putting immense pressure on doctors, nurses and health care workers in all communities. The challenges in Morden and Winkler reflect what’s unfolding across the province, threatening patient outcomes and physician well-being.
WHAT WE SAW: After meeting dozens of physicians from the Menzies and CW Wiebe medical clinics, Boundary Trails Health Centre and surrounding communities, we saw how the shortage of doctors is affecting these communities firsthand, including:
Empty clinic space that could be filled with more doctors seeing more patients
Challenges maintaining services at Boundary Trails, including relying on locum physicians to keep the ER open
Smaller ERs with limited hours or periodic closures, putting more pressure on Boundary Trails ER which is already a busy regional hub
These communities could use 20 – 30 more physicians tomorrow, and likely many more.
Dr. Guzman’s Take: “I want to thank the physicians who took the time to meet with us. I was impressed by how dedicated these doctors are, not only to their patients and to each other as colleagues, but also to the communities they serve.”
PUBLIC ADVISORY: Earlier, President-Elect Dr. Nichelle Desilets warned the public about ER closures and service disruptions this holiday season, with fewer ERs open 24/7 this December than last.
Only 18 rural and northern ERs will be open 24/7 this month, with another 24 opened but with limited hours or periodic closures. 28 health centres have ERs that are fully closed, either on short or long-term suspensions.
Manitobans can get tips from doctors about planning ahead and access local ER schedules at RuralCare.ca.