Get chequebook out, doctors tell N.L. over pathologist shortage

The Newfoundland and Labrador government says it will launch an aggressive campaign to recruit more pathologists, although the provincial medical lobby says there won't be results without hefty spending.

"One thing is obvious: that we do need to have some people dedicated to doing nothing else but pathology recruitment," Health Minister Ross Wiseman said Friday after meeting with the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association.

Like most jurisdictions, Newfoundland and Labrador has had a chronic shortage of pathologists, who specialize in examining tissues and fluids to diagnose disease and who provide crucial advice on treatment.

The issue, though, has become a top-tier public concern in the province in recent weeks, as two pathologists at Eastern Health have tendered their resignations, while a third takes stress-related leave.

By June, Eastern Health, the largest health authority in the province, will be short eight pathologists from its ideal roster.

The crunch is happening amid the scrutiny of a judicial inquiry that is examining how Eastern Health's pathology lab made errors in hormone receptor testing that might have deprived some breast cancer patients of life-saving treatments.

Justice Margaret Cameron's inquiry has to date focused on how politicians and senior officials responded to revelations of faulty testing in 2005, and has not yet focused on how the lab functioned. However, some issues — including a lack of resources, poor salaries and high turnover — have been cited in exhibits presented to the inquiry.

Robert Ritter, executive director of the NLMA, said overworked and underpaid pathologists need immediate relief.

"Everybody is carrying a very, very heavy load," Ritter said Friday evening after the meeting with Wiseman.

An aggressive recruiting campaign is needed, but one backed by a more serious remuneration package, Ritter said.

"We are the lowest in the country at the moment, you know, and every province is different," Ritter said.

"But, to give you a general idea, the ceiling in Newfoundland and Labrador is almost $100,000 less than the floor in Ontario."

Last year, government approved a stipend for pathologists to help with recruitment and retention. However, the NLMA said fundamental wage discrepancies with other provinces have not been resolved.

Wiseman acknowledged that better salaries are part of that package, as are improved working conditions.

"And these are the kinds of things we need to put some meat around early next week," said Wiseman, who will be meeting again with physicians in the coming days.