EDMONTON – There is concern in Bonnyville that Alberta Health Services might shut down the town’s two-person pathology program, rather than replace one of the retiring doctors. That means tests would be sent to Edmonton, which some believe would have wide-ranging consequences.
Bonnyville became a centre of excellence for pathology services decades ago, providing services for the entire northeast. Dr. Robert Davey was the town’s first pathologist 30 years ago. Since then, he says the work load has been steadily increasing.
When Davey announced in January that he will be retiring, staff assumed a new pathologist would be hired. But that has yet to happen.
“Despite the fact that they’ve known it for 6 or 8 months, they didn’t recruit and they didn’t talk to us about it at all,” Davey says.
AHS says finding pathologists is difficult, and a solo practice is not considered a safe or effective way of providing pathology services. So the option of stop pathology services in Bonnyville altogether is being considered, which has physicians worried about the potential implications.
For example, up until now, a patient could find out relatively quickly whether a mole was cancerous. Doctors believe that would change if the town’s pathology services is eliminated, increasing the wait for test results from two to five days to two to four weeks.
Physicians are also upset about what they feel was a lack of consultation on this important matter.
“It doesn’t just affect Bonnyville,” says Roy Doonanco, chair of the local community board. “There’s about 15 communities that use the pathology services here.”
Among them, he says, are Boyle, Athabasca, Lac La Biche, Glendon, Wainwright, Cold Lake and St. Paul.
“We feel that this whole issue has just been forced on us, we have no say in it, yet we are the primary healthcare providers for our community,” adds Dr. Leonard de Freitas, a Bonnyville medical staff member.
AHS and Convenant Health say they have been meeting with physicians to discuss the situation. However, de Freitas claims the only communication from either group was a conference call a week ago.
On Friday afternoon, AHS contacted de Freitas, and set up a meeting for next week.
AHS maintains it shares the doctors’ goal of delivering quality patient care.
“Patients will continue to receive pathology services, just as they always have – physicians will continue to receive the results they need in a time that meets their patients needs,” says Dr. Kevin Worry, AHS’ North Zone Medical Director.
An AHS spokesperson also tells Global News that “onsite pathologists are only mandatory and absolutely required when cancer surgeries that require immediate intra-operative on-site consultation by a pathologist are performed.
While biopsies of many types are performed in Bonnyville, such cancer surgical procedures are not undertaken in Bonnyville and thus the decision as to whether on site pathologists are present is optional and dependent on other factors.
No other changes to laboratory services in Bonnyville are required or planned at this time.
Laboratory services will continue to provide clinical support to the site, to local physicians, and to patients as required.”
Residents remain doubtful, and the town’s mayor can’t believe AHS would even consider eliminating the pathology service.
“We’re in one of the, I’d say the second-fastest growing region in the province, between Cold Lake and St Paul. And they’re withdrawing rather than expanding health care services,” Mayor Ernie Isley says. “Does that look like a government that’s planning for the future?”
A meeting between AHS, Covenant Health and local stakeholders is scheduled for next week to discuss the situation further. It will include the mayor and local MLA.
With files from Vassy Kapelos, Global News
Comments