Montague town council is very protective of the Kings County Memorial Hospital (KCMH). Past history has shown that the town has good reason to be sensitive about any changes at the facility. Concern is usually centred around the emergency department where intermittent closures suggest that a downgrading is never off the radar at Health P.E.I.
Last fall, council was critical of Health P.E.I. for not keeping it informed prior to an ER closure. There was an unexpected doctor shortage and the ER had to close when attempts to find another doctor were unsuccessful. There have been a number of closures since – the latest announced Wednesday: “The emergency department at Kings County Memorial Hospital will be closed tomorrow (Thursday, April 12) due to a temporary lack of physician coverage. It will re-open at 8 a.m. on Friday, April 13.”
Montague council might seem hypersensitive but it is only protecting the interests of citizens and this important resource. Council’s reaction last fall sent a clear message that it expected to be informed of any changes at the hospital and Monday night, town family doctor Scott Campbell was on hand to explain new protocols being planned at the ER. The department is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. but closing time is often extended, resulting in the doctor on shift working until midnight or later – sometimes as late at 6 a.m. the next day.
Dr. Campbell told council the hospital is working on a policy change with Health P.E.I. that will soon see some patients at the ER, who are not in need of urgent care, being asked to come back the next day or see their family doctor. It’s not healthy or safe to see doctors work those long shifts. And if the doctor stays, nurses and other staff remain as well.
Dr. Campbell said doctors cannot continue to work in these conditions and no one can blame him. Staff finds it increasingly difficult to deal with the growing demand on ER services by non-emergency cases and increased aggression towards staff from frustrated patients due to those long wait times. Something had to be done.
If the proposals reduce or eliminate closures, it’s hard to criticize the solutions. Dr. Campbell is being pro-active by keeping council informed and he suggested having a town hall meeting with residents about the changes. It’s a worthwhile idea which council should follow through on. The community needs to be aware of these proposals because residents are a key part of the solution. There should be no hidden agenda here.
No one can fault council for being overly protective about its hospital. Council worries about a past trend - at first, hours are cut and then closure isn’t far behind. It’s happened before and promises for uninterrupted services, even with these reduced hours, have been broken.
A number of letters to this paper in recent months offered testimonials about the valuable service and excellent care at the KCMH. It's a hidden gem which must be maintained and supported.