Whitehorse hospital overcrowding requires 'difficult decisions', officials say

Yukon's Chief of Medical Staff says nurses and doctors "are alarmed that we have to make these difficult decisions," when it comes to transferring patients to rural hospitals. 

But Dr. Wayne MacNicol says it's the only option right now.

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Since the summer, about a dozen patients have been transferred to community hospitals in Dawson City and Watson Lake, in order to create space at Whitehorse General Hospital. Officials have said the Whitehorse hospital often lacks any empty beds.

"It's been challenging for our physicians. It's been challenging for nurses," MacNicol said.  

​The Yukon Hospital Corporation (YHC) says many patients in Whitehorse — as many as 40 per cent — should instead be in another type of health care facility as they do not require acute hospital care.

MacNicol says he's raised his concerns with the Yukon government.

"We've gone to [Health and] Social Services, and we've really been frank with them as to what the problem is — but other than providing stronger home care, we're still very limited in long-term care," MacNicol said.

'Scrambling' to find beds for surgeries

Jason Bilsky, CEO of YHC, says the level of overcrowding at Whitehorse General is interfering with emergency care. 

"Yesterday, we looked at the bed stats report and we were at 105 per cent. So already we're full. We're overfull," he said.

"Also planned yesterday were 13 surgeries. Three of those required post-surgical admits. We're scrambling to try and find beds to proceed with these surgeries. At that time we have to make certain critical decisions. We can postpone the surgeries, but that's very inconvenient for people." 

He said some of those were non-elective, or emergency, surgeries.

Bilsky agrees recent decisions to transfer patients to community hospitals are difficult, but said the hospital needs to make use all available beds.

Families want more consultation

Still, some families of patients who have been moved say they received almost no notice before a transfer.

Audrey Brown lives outside Haines Junction. She rushed to Whitehorse when she learned her husband was being moved to Watson Lake, a five-hour drive away.  

"[A caller from the hospital] said, 'we're sending him this afternoon,' and I said, 'just leave him there 'til I get there! I want to see him. Don't take him without me getting there,'" she recalled.

Brown says she's happy with the care her husband received in Watson Lake. However, she says many relatives weren't able to go visit or bring home-cooked meals as they would in Whitehorse. 

"When I went to Watson Lake, I see that has was treated good, and yet, he's lonely. That's what he said — 'why was I moved here? I want to go home.'"

Brown's granddaughter, Kathleen Jones, said the family could have received more notice or been involved in planning. 

"There [could] have been more consultation. More working with us, instead of telling us how it's going to be," Jones said.