RAINY RIVER – Three physicians are withdrawing their services from the Rainy River Health Centre, effective Sept. 30.
An Aug. 22 public notice signed by Dr. Joseph Ennett, Rainy River Medical Clinic’s lead physician, says he and the clinic’s two other doctors “will no longer be providing hospital services” at the health centre operated by Riverside Health Care after Sept. 30.
The notice further states that Dr. Tatiana Jilkina and Dr. Catherine Caron will cease providing services at Rainy River Medical Clinic after that date but Ennett will continue to work at the clinic until the end of November.
Ennett will provide services at the clinic until the later date to meet a College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario requirement of 90 days’ notice, according to the public statement.
The doctors are making plans to withdraw their services “with the hope that the (Ministry of Health) will alter the funding arrangement to allow the clinic to function independently of hospital responsibilities,” the public notice states.
Ennett says in the public notice that their contract with the ministry requires them to provide all-day coverage in the hospital’s emergency department, “and under the current conditions we are unable to continue to do that adequately and safely.”
Riverside Health Care issued a statement Friday saying continued round-the-clock ER service “is our top priority, and we are working across the organization to address the loss of physicians in the community and the impact on hospital services.”
The Riverside statement added that “we encourage the ministry to address much needed changes in the existing agreement to best meet the needs of the community, physicians and hospital services.”
Fort Frances-based Riverside is “actively working on” ensuring continuous services at the Rainy River hospital, spokesperson Kathryn Pierroz said Friday in an email to Newswatch.
“Our immediate focus is on recruiting locum physicians to maintain ER services, while we collaborate with Ontario Health and the Ministry of Health on permanent solutions for full-time physician recruitment,” she added.
“Service disruptions are always a possibility,” she said, “but our top priority is minimizing this risk through focused physician recruitment efforts. We remain committed to providing 24-7 Emergency Services in the community of Rainy River.”
An Ontario Health spokesperson said Friday by email the ministry “is working collaboratively with the hospital on a plan.”
