Council (Town of Oliver) will write to Interior Health again asking for an explanation to the question – what is being done to ensure local doctors are paid well for service doing ER shifts at So General Hospital.

In a letter from Interior Health dated January 17 several assertions weremade that short term and long term solutions to this problem are being discussed and worked upon. At council, Petra Veintimilla says the communication from IH was long on known history and short on any form of detail as to what is being discussed or agreed upon

 

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After a council meeting in December – Councillor Petra Veintimilla wrote a letter to IH expressing concerns of her peers on the Doctor – staff levels at SO General Hospital. Here is the reply (below) that will be discussed tonight at a regular session of Oliver Town Council. Local doctors had claimed there were 90 shifts per month with 1/3 of those not filled or scheduled – could or might mean closures.

22 doctors have permission to work at SOGH but only 11 opt to work ER shifts

A request for Alternate Payment Plan was denied  (APP), which would see doctors paid for their time and not per patient.

Oliver is a rural hospital and if it exceeds 20 doctors (FTE) working there it could be classified in a different category with negative results.

IH says it has reached some agreement for staffing but is not specific as to the details.

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