Chinook Regional Hospital ICU over capacity

“We didn’t have to do that, but for a brief period of time, we almost had to do that,” says Low.

He adds that all of the medical floors and inpatient beds at CRH are also “stretched” right now, coming into the territory of being over capacity at times.

Low explains that there are a few reasons why CRH, like many other medical facilities across Alberta, are faced with this situation.

The flu season often leads to rising numbers of admissions to hospital and Low says they are seeing that in spades this year.

“The circulating strains are more severe strains, and that’s probably why we’re seeing such a severe viral season in Alberta,” says Low. “The vast majority of the viral illness right now is influenza, but there are other viruses as well including RSV [respiratory syncytial virus] and some COVID, but not tons actually.”

Because of the seasonal nature of viruses like influenza, Low expects things to get a bit better in the spring when infection rates go down.

The other major factor leading to the current capacity situation is staffing.

Low says AHS has not had many issues with staffing physicians in critical care or medical floors lately, but there has been a lack of available nurses.

In order to alleviate the capacity issues in hospitals, he believes that AHS and the provincial government need to do a better job at building networks of primary care services.

That is because family doctors can provide preventative care to patients and hopefully keep people from having to go to the hospital in the first place.

Low says he is among a team at AHS that is working on other potential solutions.

“Strengthening how we admit patients, how we discharge patients in a timely fashion, ensuring we keep people an appropriate amount of time and let them go with appropriate supports such as home care in the community,” says Low.

Back in September 2022, LNN reported that 17 new family physicians were set to begin practicing in Lethbridge between December 2022 and March 2023.

Low says they are at various stages of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) certification process. Because all of these doctors obtained their licenses in other countries, it takes more time to ensure they are properly trained and certified to practice in Alberta.

It was also revealed earlier this year that there is currently a single obstetrician/gynecological (OBGYN) doctor who is permanently based in Lethbridge.

Low told reporters that there is a pool of 20 OBGYNs based out of Calgary who are providing in-hospital care on a rotating basis, but AHS is working to recruit more permanent OBGYNs.

Lethbridge-West MLA Shannon Phillips told LNN that she has received far too many calls from distressed residents who are concerned about their abilities to get healthcare in Lethbridge.

“It’s far less about AHS than it is about the Ministry of Health and this health minister and this premier taking responsibility and some leadership to make healthcare in Southern Alberta a priority,” says Phillips.

She is accusing the United Conservative Party (UCP) provincial government, under both the former and current premiers, Jason Kenney and Danielle Smith, respectively, of damaging Alberta’s public healthcare system.

Phillips says that Smith is focused on the “wrong priorities,” such as implementing the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act.

Phillips believes that the premier should instead look at strengthening healthcare as the government’s top priority.

Phillips points to the UCP terminating the government’s deal with physicians under the Alberta Medical Association in early 2020.

“Local doctors came and visited with me [at the time] and all said this is going to lead to a shortage of physicians in Lethbridge, and then it did,” says Phillips.

Last week, however, the Alberta Government proposed a legislative change that would eliminate its ability to end existing deals with healthcare professionals.

Deputy Premier and Lethbridge-East MLA Nathan Neudorf says he has raised the issue of hospital capacity with Health Minister Jason Copping and is continuing to advocate for Lethbridge.

The CPSA states in its Physician Resources Report for July 1, 2022, to September 30, 2022, that there were 274 fully-registered physicians practicing in Lethbridge. This represents a decrease of four doctors from the previous quarter and 23 fewer than in the same period last year.

The Chinook Primary Care Network said in a presentation to Lethbridge City Council in December 2021 that nearly one-quarter of people in the Lethbridge area, or 45,733 residents, did not have access to a family physician.

The website, AlbertaFindADoctor.ca, does not currently show any family physicians who are accepting new patients in Lethbridge.

by David Opinko

Chinook Regional Hospital ICU over capacity

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