Charlotte County hospital could ease surgery stress in Saint John, says group
Alan White | CBC News | Posted: July 7, 2016 12:08 AM | Last Updated: July 7, 2016
Horizon Health Authority cites low volume as reason to shut down St. Stephen surgical unit on Aug. 8
The surgery unit at the Charlotte County Hospital in St. Stephen could be used to ease the stress on regional hospitals where operating rooms are working at full capacity, says a spokesperson for a Charlotte County group.
Horizon Health Network announced on Wednesday the southwestern hospital would stop offering surgical services requiring general anesthesia effective Aug. 8.
Trudy Higgins, a member of the Concerned Citizens of Charlotte County, said she wasn't surprised by the decision, but is disappointed and concerned about what may happen in the future with the hospital.
Higgins said she doesn't dispute the notion that the operating room in the Charlotte County Hospital is under-utilized.
"We have said for a very long time that they should be using the other ORs," said Higgins.
"There are surgeons who have time that they could be operating but they have no operating room. It seems as if the people in rural areas are being penalized again because of where they live."
Horizon officials said that low surgical volume in St. Stephen is the reason the program is being shut down.
St. Stephen Mayor Allan MacEachen said the lone surgeon at the hospital is retiring soon.
Health Minister Victor Boudreau said the closure was "a clinical decision" made by Horizon after the surgeon "decided to slow things down to the point they can no longer keep the OR open."
Decreasing surgery volumes combined with "the change in practice by surgeons make closing the OR inevitable," said Dr. John Dornan, Horizon's chief of staff for the Saint John area, which includes St. Stephen.
Charlotte County residents requiring surgery will be treated at other Horizon Health facilities.
The hospital in St. Stephen will continue to provide minor procedures that can be carried out under a local anesthetic at the hospital's walk-in clinic.