As doctors and nurses continue to speak publicly about the ongoing issues at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH), Interior Health’s (IH) CEO is not downplaying their blistering remarks.
Specifically, Susan Brown responded to alleged feedback from healthcare professionals brought up by Kelowna-Mission MLA Gavin Dew during a recent interview with NowMedia video host Jim Csek.
Dew claimed that he’s heard about a “culture of fear” at KGH, where doctors and nurses are “genuinely fearful of speaking out” and even claim that “leadership is authoritarian.”
“I’ve heard those comments recently too and they need to be addressed,” Brown told NowMedia. “Like anything, unpacking it and where it’s coming from, and why it’s happening, is critical.”
Now two weeks into a minimum six-week closure of KGH’s general pediatric unit, and mired in a maternity care crisis that has doctors saying the ward is “facing a collapse,” there has been a lot of talk about retention.
Although IH and the Ministry of Health say they’re working hard to recruit healthcare professionals from Canada and beyond, there are qualified doctors and nurses in Kelowna who are choosing not to work at the hospital.
In fact, out of 20 pediatricians currently living in Kelowna, only five are currently working at KGH.
“We have witnessed half the pediatric department resign in recent years, seemingly consistent with workload and burnout challenges,” noted a statement from multiple KGH departments, backed by over 130 physicians, issued a week ago.
Brown says IH worked with pediatricians in 2023 on this issue, even bringing in an independent consultant and implementing all recommendations that were agreed upon between the two parties.
She notes that an open dialogue between the health authority and community pediatricians is ongoing, and work is being done to address their concerns and learn what might entice them back to the hospital.
“I did have a conversation yesterday with one of the community pediatricians who brought forward, confidentially, a barrier,” Brown explained. “So certainly looking at all avenues that remove any resistance to them coming back would be important for us.”
Most of the healthcare professionals who have spoken out over the past two weeks have lamented the fact that IH has been warned about these issues for years.
Brown admits that pediatricians “did raise some concerns about resources” back in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic began shortly after and that “distracted people” from the issue.
“We’re really looking at what the plan is going forward now and what resources the physicians require,” she said.
Brown adds that a plan for pediatrics was submitted to the Ministry of Health on Thursday, designed to meet the needs of healthcare professionals and the region’s rapidly growing population.
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And there is some positive news on the pediatrics front.
According to Brown, a new physician will be joining KGH this summer. Two others recently signed offer letters and are set to arrive in September. Three associate physicians that will help with the workload in pediatrics are scheduled to begin work in July, August and September.
But she says those additions won’t mean much if they’re entering a workplace where they don’t have the tools, support and regular dialogue to ensure they’re successful.
“Retention is critical for all our staff,” Brown stated. “Even though we’re getting these new physicians, we have to make sure it’s a great landing spot for them and they’ll be keen to stay.”
According to Brown, it’s too early to say whether the closure of KGH’s general pediatric unit will stretch beyond six weeks, as there’s “a number of moving parts.”
The decision will be made in consultation with pediatricians in an effort to not put any further strain on them.
During the first two weeks of the closure, seven pediatric cases have been transferred to alternate hospitals in the BC Interior – Penticton, Vernon and Kamloops.
Brown wants parents to know that IH has social workers who can help with logistics and a hardship policy for any additional costs incurred, including transportation.
“As a mom, I know how stressful it is to have a sick kid and we're doing everything we can to minimize the impact for people who do need transfers,” she said.
With six months to go until retirement, Brown promises that she’ll strive to ensure, to the best of her abilities, that there’s a stable and reliable service over the next few months.
