Horizon Health Network has announced it will close the Oromocto Public Hospital emergency room after 4 p.m. every day beginning Tuesday, after area physicians sounded the alarm on staffing shortages.
Doctors warned patients on social media if they came to the Oromocto Public Hospital after 4 p.m. this week, they might be turned away.
It was part of a Facebook post shared by Dr. Yogi Sehgal shared on behalf of the ER physicians in Fredericton and Oromocto.
“We simply do not have enough physicians to safely provide quality patient care at both the Fredericton and the Oromocto emergency departments,” the post read. “Therefore, we have informed the Horizon Health Authority that, beginning June 21, 2021, we will be unable to staff the OPH Emergency Department after 6:00 p.m. each evening.”
The post said the physician shortage is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
“Attracting and keeping physicians is an ongoing issue and we are short at least eight full-time-equivalents of ER-trained physicians,” the post said. “Each current emergency physician has been working over their capacity for many months with the ongoing crisis. We now need to consolidate our limited personnel at the regional trauma centre in Fredericton.”
The post said patients who come after 4 p.m. could be diverted.
Horizon Health Network changes response
Horizon Health Network had previously sent a message on Twitter saying there would be no changes to the hours of the emergency room in Oromocto.
At 6:16 p.m. on Monday, it said it was closing the ER early.
Up until Monday, the ER was open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.
“The temporary closures will remain in place until we are able to recruit an adequate number of health care professionals to work in this department,” the release said.
Horizon spokesperson Kris McDavid said it was able to secure a doctor in the ER on Monday. However, the health authority now said anyone who needs urgent care will need to seek treatment at another hospital.
Health Minister Dorothy Shephard said the responsibility for safe staffing is with the Regional Health Authorities (RHA).
“This is going to be a summer of challenges,” she said on Monday. “The RHAs … Horizon and Vitalite … both need to plan and prepare to ensure that emergency rooms are staffed at a level that is not only safe for the patients but also for staff.”
Second hospital facing the crunch
The Oromocto Public Hospital is the second to face serious shortages. Sackville Memorial Hospital closes its emergency room on the weekends after 8 p.m.
The hospital reopens the ER at 8 a.m. and is 24 hours throughout the rest of the week but with only nine registered nurse positions filled, Horizon couldn’t say how long the nighttime closure could last.
The Sackville shortage was attributed to a nursing shortage, according to Horizon.
Horizon declined to provide anyone for an interview Monday.
—With files from Callum Smith.
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