Reinstated unvaccinated doctor busy dealing with backlog of patients, says receptionist

Jeannette Taillefer had a busy weekend, scheduling appointments for patients of Dr. Dianne Stackhouse, who was suspended more than four months ago for being unvaccinated against COVID-19.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick lifted Stackhouse's suspension last week, and Taillefer, her receptionist, has been "bombarded" with calls ever since.

Stackhouse has a busy family practice in Fredericton and Cambridge-Narrows. "She has a lot of elderly patients who are in dire need of their doctor," said Taillefer.

"It's going to be extremely busy for the next little while because people are so anxious to come back and see her because a lot of them have gone without their medications and so on."

Nine doctors who were either unvaccinated or failed to provide proof of vaccination were suspended on Nov. 30 at midnight at the request of the hospitals, according to college registrar Dr. Ed Schollenberg, a move that left their patients scrambling to find care in a province already desperate for more doctors.

About 55,000 people are on the Patient Connect NB wait list for a primary care provider, as of the end of February, the latest statistics available, says the Department of Health.

Seven of the suspended doctors have now been reinstated, including four family doctors and three specialists, Schollenberg said Monday. The college is still waiting to hear the intentions of one family doctor, while another has decided to leave the province, he said.

Schollenberg has attributed the policy reversal to a change in policy at the regional health authorities.

"We got a memo from somebody there saying that they were doing away with all their requirements. So we just realized we couldn't justify continuing to suspend these doctors," he said.

Stackhouse declined an interview, but "she's extremely happy that she's able to go back and continue to care for the people," according to Taillefer.

"Her number one priority is always taking care of her patients," she said, noting Stackhouse has been a doctor for more than 40 years.

"This is her life, this is what she does, that's what she lives for."

'Everybody's thrilled'

Taillefer is booking between 30 and 40 patients a day right now, trying to focus on people who need to be seen "right away."

She cited as examples people with extremely high blood pressure, someone who requires a referral for a mammogram and people who need prescription renewals.

Calling the patients has been "joyful for both sides," she said.

"Just to hear my voice, they say, 'Oh, my God, does that mean she's open?' They're just thrilled. Everybody's thrilled. So it's a really nice feeling.

"It's a lot of work, but it's work that I'm enjoying because it's for the goodness of the people."

Stackhouse will see some of the patients in person, including some home visits, and some over the phone, said Taillefer.

Asked whether any patients have said they're not comfortable seeing Stackhouse because she's unvaccinated, she replied, "No one's ever mentioned it.

"However, those who knew she wasn't going to get vaccinated or whatever, they made a choice to either stay or ask for their file and go elsewhere or whatever. We didn't get very many of that."

She didn't say how many patients Stackhouse lost, but did say she continued to field calls from patients during Stackhouse's suspension, and "a lot of them said, 'It should be our choice. I don't care if she's not vaccinated. It should be my choice if I go in there or not.'"

Taillefer expects the office phones will continue to ring off the hook for the upcoming weeks as they try to accommodate the backlog of patients and keep them out of the emergency departments.

But she doesn't mind. "You know what? It's a good busy, in my opinion."