Grassroots organization sounds alarm about Rocky Hospital, AHS policies
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.