September 26, 2024
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE – It is important for me to provide clarity on the surgical program in Rocky Mountain House, and correct comments made about the program’s future.
Let me be very clear – there are absolutely no plans to decrease general surgery at the Rocky Mountain House Health Centre.
We continue to support the site’s general surgery program – approximately 81 general surgeries, 412 endoscopies, and 52 gynecology procedures have been completed at the site this year. And, in June, we expanded the site’s surgical program to include knee replacement surgeries, supported by orthopedic surgeons travelling to Rocky Mountain House. Since then, 41 orthopedic surgeries have been completed.
The addition of orthopedic surgeries has bolstered the local surgery program, not hampered it. No limits have been placed on the general surgery program, and no changes have been made to the way the site supports the community’s surgical needs.
The introduction of an orthopedic surgery program has, in fact, helped improve access to a number of complementary services at the site, including better access to lab and x-ray, and additional nursing staff.
Orthopedic surgery patients do not require extensive inpatient care, generally recover quickly, and are discharged after an overnight stay. Because general surgery cases occur on alternate days, the orthopedic program has no impact on the spaces available for general surgical patients who need post-operative care. However, I have learned that there are some capacity challenges occurring on site due to staffing, which at times have been compounded by additional surgical patients requiring post-operative care. This has resulted in some patients being transferred to other sites that can meet their needs. We will work with the site on recruitment efforts to support increased acute care capacity and a robust surgical program for the community.
In addition, claims that the community has the fewest number of physicians in a decade are simply not true. There are currently 16 physicians practicing in Rocky Mountain House and AHS is recruiting for an additional four. In comparison, there were 12 physicians practicing in the community in 2020.
We are aware of one surgeon who has opted to no longer work at the site, and that is their decision. This physician was a locum and did not have a fulltime, permanent position in Rocky Mountain House. It is not accurate to suggest their operating hours were decreased.
We know that there has been some frustration in the past when a surgeon has wanted to do certain procedures that they do not have privileges for.
It is important that processes are followed when a surgeon wants to add a service. Decisions to expand services must take into account patient safety, volumes, and the ability to practice and maintain surgical skillsets. These processes are in place to protect patients, while balancing the skills of our surgeons and the needs of the community.
We continue our efforts to recruit for a permanent General Surgeon and for a General Practitioner with Anesthesia training, and we will continue to work with our physicians to explore opportunities to deliver additional surgical services where possible.
Qualified candidates are being interviewed, and erroneous public comments that call into question our commitment to the program in Rocky Mountain House will do nothing to support these recruitment efforts.
Athana Mentzelopoulos
President and CEO
Alberta Health Services
