16 local physicians have co-signed a letter outlining concerns with AHS operating room policies (Jordan Rein/94.5 Rewind Radio)

By Jordan Rein

‘The Physician Group of Rocky Mountain House’

Grassroots organization sounds alarm about Rocky Hospital, AHS policies

Sep 26, 2024 | 1:55 PM

A local, grassroots effort is sounding the alarm about operating rooms at the Rocky Mountain House Health Centre sitting empty while local patients suffer and health professionals flee to greener pastures.

An open letter from ‘The Physician Group of Rocky Mountain House’ says that prospect has been spurred on by Alberta Health Services (AHS) central zone policies that make it difficult for local general surgeons to utilize the Rocky Mountain House operating room.

As a case in point, the letter mentions the resignation of local resident surgeon, Dr. Dawnelle Topstad – something it says is a result of orthopedic surgeries potentially taking priority over much-needed general surgery in the new operating room.

Meantime, the letter says patients often wait for several days in other central zone hospitals to have emergency surgeries, while Rocky Mountain House’s fully staffed operating room often sits idle with capable surgeons not allowed to perform the surgery closer to home.

That prospect makes the job immediately unappealing for any surgeon or other health professional applying to work in Rocky Mountain House, the letter says.

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The letter also outlines other potential negative effects for the community should those perceptions mount.

That includes the potential of not having life-saving services of cesarian sections, as well as having gastroscopies and colonoscopies outsourced to other facilities where there are already long wait times.

The letter also spotlights the strong community effort in getting a new operating room built, and opines that it should be used to benefit the community.

Inside the newly completed operating room at Rocky Mountain House Regional Health Centre. (Jordan Rein/94.5 Rewind Radio)

Over the past decade many surgeons and health professionals have wanted to work in Rocky, the group says, but with increasing roadblocks, many have moved on to other areas in Alberta and other provinces where similar hindrances don’t exist.

The letter, which was been co-signed by 16 local physicians outlines steps it would like to see the public take to enact change.

That includes sending e-mails to Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange, Premier Danielle Smith, as well as Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre MLA Jason Nixon, requesting the government ‘to establish a sustainable surgical program’.

Organizers are also asking the public to write their personal story of how the Rocky Hospital surgical program has impacted their lives.

Those stories can be e-mailed to saverockysurgery@gmail.com.

In a statement provided to 94.5 Rewind Radio, Heather Kipling, Communications Director for AHS Central Zone, says AHS remains committed to ensuring the surgical program at Rocky Mountain House Health Centre continues to be available. She says this includes ongoing recruitment and retention efforts to support the program, and to see it grow.

“There are no plans to decrease surgeries in Rocky Mountain House. We share the same desire as our local physicians and the community to see the surgical program grow and thrive for years to come.

“Like many other rural sites, the surgical program at Rocky Mountain House Health Centre is supported by both permanent and locum physicians. It is also supported by traveling surgeons for the new orthopedic surgical service. We are interviewing candidates interested in the permanent general surgeon position and continue to recruit for an additional General Practitioner with Anesthesia training to support the program.

“We have been and will continue to work with our local physicians and staff to support the surgical program.”

In a statement posted to Facebook, Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre MLA Jason Nixon says he has spoken to both AHS officials and the health ministry, who have assured him that general surgery programs, including emergency c-sections, will continue to be a priority in Rocky Mountain House.

AHS has also committed to recruit a general surgeon for Rocky Mountain House for procedures that the OR is equipped to perform, the statement says.

RELATED

• Paramount Resources commits $300,000 to Rocky Health Foundation over five years
• Rocky Mountain House town council pressures province to fix emergency department issues
• Clearwater County council petitions province to fix emergency department issues
• New operating room complete at Rocky Mountain House Health Centre

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