There is a growing concern about the service closures at the Watrous Hospital, with most of them affecting the emergency department.
When a closure is in place, residents are forced to travel to Saskatoon or Humboldt.
Executive Director of the Interlake Human Resources Corporation Angela Silzer says the people are worried about the closures in Watrous, especially with the community losing three physicians, with two physicians arriving in the community later in the summer.
“At our agency, it just makes it really difficult to prepare for emergencies when you don't know when you're going to have an emergency department or a doctor.”
Silzer added another concern is the lack of communication with the closures. Individuals may first find out about the closures after arriving at the hospital in Watrous. The town of Watrous posts the closure updates on their Facebook page, but Silzer says not everyone utilizes social media.
“I'm not sure how they communicate that or how do you communicate that to your public at large,” she says, “and it's usually like for the next day, you know, it's not, it's not necessarily ahead or the day of.”
The Saskatchewan NDP also raised the issue of a lack of communication from the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) about the closures.
“Imagine rushing your child to the hospital in an emergency, only to find a sandwich board out front saying the ER is closed,” said Keith Jorgenson, Saskatchewan NDP Associate Shadow Minister for Health, in a news release. “That’s exactly what’s happening in Watrous, and it isn’t right.
“People deserve timely notice and accessible care. Anything less is dangerous and unacceptable.”
Silzer noted the frustration of one individual who lives in long term care in Watrous which is attached to the hospital, after she taken a fall in her room, had to be transported to Humboldt despite being down the hallway from the emergency department in Watrous because of a closure that evening.
“I think that's unacceptable,” said Silzer.
“Reliable, local healthcare is essential to building and sustaining rural communities,” added Jared Clarke, NDP Shadow Minister for Rural and Remote Health, said in the NDP release. “The Sask. Party must stop taking rural and northern Saskatchewan for granted. Our hospitals must stay open — people’s lives depend on it.”
Silzer hopes the Saskatchewan government listens and addresses the healthcare issues in Watrous, especially with high senior population with Manitou Beach located down the road from the town.
“Who wants to come and move to a place where there's no emergency services or doctors.”