Legality of private ER still a question, says B.C. health minister
Two days beforethe opening of Canada's first private emergency-care facility,the owner has still not told the B.C. government how he plans to operate within the law, says B.C. Health Minister George Abbott.
Vancouver's False Creek Surgical Centre plans to offeremergency care, in addition to the private day surgeries it alreadyperforms on a for-fee basis, beginning Friday.
Dr. Mark Godley has hired 24 emergency-room doctors to work in his new Urgent Care Centre, whichwill operate from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Abbott told CBC Radio on Wednesday that Godley needs to answer the ministry's questions about how he plans to work within the Canada Health Act.
The law makes it illegal for patients to pay private clinics forprocedures covered by medicare. But it does allow third parties, such as workers' compensation boards, to pay clinics to treat patients quickly.
The Urgent Care Centre plans to charge patients $199 for a comprehensive examination, plus additional costs for any treatment.
No 'jackbooted soldiers,' says minister
Abbott said despite clinic officials' failure toprovide answers,the government isn't about to suddenly shut down the new emergency room.
"We can't send in jackbooted soldiers to close the doors. We have furnished a number of questions to the proposed operator. We will, on the basis of the answers to those questions, be providing him with advice about whether it would be appropriate or inappropriate to open."
Abbottsaid that, in his opinion, opening the Urgent Care Centre this week would be "entirely inappropriate."
And theminister said if Godley does proceed with the opening, the government will take every step to "remediate" a situation that breaks the law.
The BC Federation of Labour has passed a resolution calling on the government to take legal action to block the clinic's opening. Abbottdid not rule that out, adding the government is reviewing its legal options.
"I presume we would have to have an interim injunction to actually prevent them from opening. The challenge is the proponents here, the False CreekSurgical Centre, have been to this date unreceptive to providing us with any information as to how this will operate."