Loss of two doctors in Sackville emergency department related to policy change meant to help recruitment
Horizon health network has confirmed that the Sackville Memorial Hospital emergency department recently lost two doctors who had been working in the department.
Dr. Jody Enright, Horizon’s medical director in the Moncton area, says the two left emergency, “to focus on their respective family practices.”
The Sackville hospital emergency department has been closed for two additional days in the past two weeks due to a lack of physician availability. That’s on top of already reduced hours that have been in place for over a year, due to mostly to a lack of nursing staff.
The decision by the two doctors to leave the emergency department was made possible by a recent policy change at Horizon. Previously, doctors in Sackville were required to work shifts at the emergency department in order to maintain a practice in the area. Enright says that condition, “has presented a significant barrier to our recruitment efforts in Sackville, as very few candidates are interested in managing a family practice while also taking on additional duties in the [emergency department].”
Enright says the decision to remove the requirement was made “in consultation with and supported by the medical team.” She believes the change will significantly enhance the chances of “identifying, recruiting and ultimately retaining more family physicians and Emergency Department physicians in Sackville moving forward.“
John Higham, former Sackville mayor and co-chair of the Rural Health Action Group describes the decision as a positive response by Horizon, and one that has been tried elsewhere.… Continue