Meadow Lake Braces For Gap In Emergency Care

Meadow Lake Braces For Gap In Emergency Care

Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 14:11

It could soon be tougher to see a doctor after hours in Meadow Lake.

On August 27, the Prairie North Health Region is expecting a temporary shortage in the number of doctors who can cover the emergency room from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. at the Meadow Lake hospital.

Barb Jiricka, vice-president of integrated health services for the region, says they’re alerting the local public about the impending shortage, and are working to deal with the situation as best they can.

“Right now what we’re working on is to try to prevent any kind of gap in service,” Jiricka says.

The health region’s current strategy is to find locum coverage, which means bringing in physicians from elsewhere to temporarily fill the gap in emergency care.

Jiricka says the situation was partially caused by illness amongst the local doctors.

The region expects to receive two new doctors in October.