SHA confirms service disruptions at Regina hospitals

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The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has confirmed that Regina’s two hospitals are facing service disruptions due to a “lack of physician availability.”

“Interventional radiology services will be temporarily unavailable at Regina General and Pasqua Hospitals,” said a statement from the SHA on Tuesday.

The disruption — in effect from Oct. 13 to Oct. 18 and again from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 — includes central line placements (PICC and PORT lines), nephrostomy tube insertions and changes, as well as ureteral stenting.

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“In some cases, patients may need to be transferred to Saskatoon for these services,” the SHA said, adding that there is “a high demand and limited supply of medical imaging physicians specializing in interventional radiology” across Canada.

The issue was raised Monday by Saskatchewan NDP candidate for Regina Elphinstone-Centre Meara Conway, who shared what she called a “deeply concerning” SHA memo about the disruption of “critical medical services.”

“Everyone has told us this is very serious,” Conway said during a media availability. “In the worst case scenarios, physicians told us the impact could be life threatening.”

According to the SHA, peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) lines offer a way to give “long-term medicine treatment for pain, infection, or cancer, or to supply nutrition.” Central lines can give medicine that quickly affects the heart if an urgent reaction or response is needed. They can also supply fluid or blood quickly or be used to receive kidney dialysis in the event of kidney failure.

Conway said transferring patients means more pressure on an already overtaxed hospital system in Saskatoon.

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“We know those emergency rooms in Saskatoon have also run out of critical supplies like oxygen and stretchers on multiple occasions,” she said, calling this a “health-care crisis.”

The Saskatchewan Party held no media availabilities on Tuesday, but released its platform over the weekend. While the party promises “to hire more doctors, nurses and specialists to deliver on Saskatchewan’s Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan,” it did not earmark specific dollar amounts to do so.

In an emailed response provided on Tuesday, the Sask. Party acknowledged the shortage of professionals in the field, while also pointing to the “HHR plan for medical imaging, which includes a $200K incentive available to interventional radiologists who establish practice in the province” as a way to increase the number of specialists.

In total, $7.6 billion is being spent on health care as outlined in the 2024-25 provincial budget, which represents an increase of $583.5 million from the previous budget.

The NDP has committed to increasing health-care spending by $1.1 billion over four years should it form government. Conway called the Sask. Party platform “status quo,” saying it fails to account for population growth and inflation.

“Health care is on the ballot this election and the translation there is ‘people have a choice,’ ” said Conway.

The one-week voting period for the provincial election begins Oct. 22 and concludes Oct. 28 (there is no voting on Sunday, Oct. 27).

alsalloum@postmedia.com

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