A community in Northern British Columbia is experiencing limited access to emergency medical services as the Nats’oojeh Hospital in Fort St. James has had to reduce its operating hours due to a shortage of physicians until at least October. The hospital serves the immediate municipality and several remote Indigenous communities in the area.

Northern Health announced that the hospital lacks sufficient doctors to maintain 24/7 emergency coverage while ensuring access to daytime primary care and preventing physician burnout. Therefore, the emergency department will operate on a reduced schedule, opening from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and possibly from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. depending on physician availability. Weekend coverage will be updated weekly.

The health authority anticipates the reduced emergency department hours to continue until at least October with no set date for the return to 24/7 coverage. The closest alternative hospital is located around 60 kilometers away in Vanderhoof.

Fort St. James Mayor Martin Elphee expressed frustration over the prolonged reduced schedule, stating that the situation is not expected to improve until October. Northern Health’s Vice President of Clinical Operations, Lisa Zetes-Zanatta, emphasized that the current reduction is temporary to prevent further burnout among the remaining physicians.

The mayor highlighted that the ER has experienced closures on multiple weekends due to the ongoing physician shortage, with approximately 75 closures recorded this year. Elphee emphasized the community’s need for adequate medical services, especially during emergencies when residents have to travel long distances for care.

Efforts to recruit more physicians are ongoing, with the community actively engaging in hiring a healthcare recruiter to attract healthcare professionals. They are collaborating with Northern Health to explore various strategies to address the physician shortage, including highlighting the community’s amenities to potential recruits.

Despite the challenges, the community remains resilient and optimistic about overcoming the current healthcare crisis. Northern Health pledged to provide regular updates on their initiatives to enhance emergency care access in Fort St. James, aiming to restore the hospital’s services to their original level with the recruitment of additional physicians.