Doctors coming to the Sault and then others leaving

[MagicFingers]

http://www.local2.ca/ssm/viewarticle.php?id=6373

Makes you wonder why doctors are not staying here. I have now heard of three doctors who have quit or left the Sault. From my perspective I think the administration needs to take a look at why. I have heard the grumblings and some of the excuses which I am sure others have as well. A lot has to do with politics and how things are done at our hospital and if this is the case someone needs to give their head a shake and figure out a way to make these doctors happy so we can have some happy qualified doctors in our hospitals treating our sick and injured.

[Puppy Lover]

I have an even better idea...................let's stop catering to ALL of the demands that the physicians are making, especially with respect to salaries, bonuses, etc. etc. and funnel that money to Nurse Practitioner services. NPs can be the answer to many of the concerns that are plaguing our current health care system. The care provided by NPs is excellent, comprehensive and at a FRACTION of the cost of a physician. Currently, many of the physicians receive a bonus for every PAP test they do, every flu shot they give, and the list goes on and on. In some cases, the NPs are doing the actual PAP, flu shot, etc. and the physician is getting the bonus. Physicians will not accept referrals from a Nurse Practitioner because they can bill at a higher rate if the referral comes from a physician rather than an NP. Nice to know that they are not in it for the money!!!!! NPs do not get ANY bonuses for preventative care, and their salaries are COMPLETELY determined by the Ministry of Health. I personally, am tired of the constant complaining of Ontario physicians, when they are the HIGHEST paid physicians in Canada.

[MagicFingers]

Ok I agree we need more nurse practioners...and although I will not argue that in many cases the care they give is excellent in nature there are still aspects of the job they can not perform. They are not an oncologist. SO now we are down to one is that sufficient....what about ENT's, Heart specialists, etc.....sorry but we need these skilled doctors..... and the complaints I have heard have little to do with the rate of pay the doctors are getting....rather than the policies that are taking place at our hospital and by the hospital policy makers.

[Puppy Lover]

Totally agree with you regarding the specialists. It is very difficult to recruit specialists to this area. There are likely many factors that come in to play...... lack of support, politics, not enough opportunities for their growing families, etc. It is so unfortunate, especially in the case of oncology patients who really need to be at home with their support system (family and friends) nearby.

[Magneto]

What really needs to happen is the upper echelon of SAH.. the board of directors... need to take some massive pay cuts and have that funding allocated to securing doctors, RNs, RPNs, PSWs... etc.
They continually cut back on front-line staffing, and say that they "don't have funding in the budget for more front-line workers", but Ron Gagnon is all too quick to take a salary/bonus increase to the tune of $42,000..... roughly the same as what a full time RPN makes... Every damn year! That guy's up in the $240K /yr salary bracket.. and he's as useless as a ..... well... we won't get into that...

[b&aMom]

I have an even better idea...................let's stop catering to ALL of the demands that the physicians are making, especially with respect to salaries, bonuses, etc. etc. and funnel that money to Nurse Practitioner services. NPs can be the answer to many of the concerns that are plaguing our current health care system. The care provided by NPs is excellent, comprehensive and at a FRACTION of the cost of a physician. Currently, many of the physicians receive a bonus for every PAP test they do, every flu shot they give, and the list goes on and on. In some cases, the NPs are doing the actual PAP, flu shot, etc. and the physician is getting the bonus. Physicians will not accept referrals from a Nurse Practitioner because they can bill at a higher rate if the referral comes from a physician rather than an NP. Nice to know that they are not in it for the money!!!!! NPs do not get ANY bonuses for preventative care, and their salaries are COMPLETELY determined by the Ministry of Health. I personally, am tired of the constant complaining of Ontario physicians, when they are the HIGHEST paid physicians in Canada.

IIRC, the "bonuses" you speak of amount to less than $5 per instance.

[b&aMom]

Ok I agree we need more nurse practioners...and although I will not argue that in many cases the care they give is excellent in nature there are still aspects of the job they can not perform. They are not an oncologist. SO now we are down to one is that sufficient....what about ENT's, Heart specialists, etc.....sorry but we need these skilled doctors..... and the complaints I have heard have little to do with the rate of pay the doctors are getting....rather than the policies that are taking place at our hospital and by the hospital policy makers.

I recently learned of a specialist willing to move here, but TPTB took so long to commit OR time that the specialist had already gone elsewhere. Too many in management.

[MagicFingers]

I know of a doctor who left because they didn't like how patients had to wait as long as they do at the hospital for care he thought it was ridiculous.....and of course when suggestions were made on where thigns could be improved he wasn't listened to. It happens often! it isn't all about bonuses some doctors want to be able to do what they can for their patients in a timely fashion and the way our hospital and its services are run do not allow for that.

On another note it had to be a man or many men that designed the hosptial. Who in their right minds designs a hospital that when in LABOR you have to go through ER regardless if it is during the day or night you still have to go through ER/admitting which is right beside each other and then they put the Labor/Delivery ward at the opposite end of the hospital.....Yeah that is a genius for you but they put the Mental Health AKA Psych ward right next to Emergency room. Does this make sense to anyone cause it doesn't to me! I have heard about nurses having to run down the hall because a woman has come into our hospital in labor and already pushing and yet it is a good 5 minute walk to the Mat ward. Not to mention if your walking and having contractions really a mile is just to far.

[lynys]

Er, they usually encourage walking during labour.

I had a planned c-section, so I didn't have to go through all of that hoopla. I just went straight to L&D at 4:30 am. LOL

[MagicFingers]

Yes encourage walking during labor but when women are PUSHING on their way down the hall that is a problem. Also just cause they encourage walking doesn't make it comfortable you just want to get to labor and delivery get checked out and stick around there. Thank goodness my csection is planned for July 16th at 8am so I guess I will be going in around 430am also

[lynys]

Yeppers. Mine was planned for 8, but didn't happen until 12 hours later. lol

[Ladywolf 1]

Yeah, don't pre-engrave any jewelry for your children based on "hospital times".

[MagicFingers]

oh I won't be doing that....lol although i have been assured that the time they give will be the time it is done. But I am familiar with our hospital system so nothing will shock me.

[Verotik]

http://www.local2.ca/ssm/viewarticle.php?id=6373

Makes you wonder why doctors are not staying here. I have now heard of three doctors who have quit or left the Sault. From my perspective I think the administration needs to take a look at why. I have heard the grumblings and some of the excuses which I am sure others have as well. A lot has to do with politics and how things are done at our hospital and if this is the case someone needs to give their head a shake and figure out a way to make these doctors happy so we can have some happy qualified doctors in our hospitals treating our sick and injured.

Well I can tell you from putting out 100+ resumes locally that one reasons is their spouses cannot find a job, I am moving out of town in September. So far my spouse and kids are staying in the Sault, but if the choice is solely up to me everyone would be moving.

I even applied for the temp computer job at group health i have 10+ yrs xp doing this job, not a peep, and I indicated my wife is a physician who works there. What is easier to recruit entry level desk side support or a Pediatrician???

Sick of banging my head against the wall in this town.

[Verotik]

I have an even better idea...................let's stop catering to ALL of the demands that the physicians are making, especially with respect to salaries, bonuses, etc. etc. and funnel that money to Nurse Practitioner services. NPs can be the answer to many of the concerns that are plaguing our current health care system. The care provided by NPs is excellent, comprehensive and at a FRACTION of the cost of a physician. Currently, many of the physicians receive a bonus for every PAP test they do, every flu shot they give, and the list goes on and on. In some cases, the NPs are doing the actual PAP, flu shot, etc. and the physician is getting the bonus. Physicians will not accept referrals from a Nurse Practitioner because they can bill at a higher rate if the referral comes from a physician rather than an NP. Nice to know that they are not in it for the money!!!!! NPs do not get ANY bonuses for preventative care, and their salaries are COMPLETELY determined by the Ministry of Health. I personally, am tired of the constant complaining of Ontario physicians, when they are the HIGHEST paid physicians in Canada.

they aren't the highest paid physicians in canada, some specialty yes, some no, you can't paint it all with the same brush. NP is not the be all end all solution, it is the cheapest solution to providing bodies into healthcare.

want to save money in the health care budget, stop paying a billion for flu shots, they work 20%, they have not changed mortality of flu at all. it is a pure cash injection to big pharma.

[Puppy Lover]

IIRC, the "bonuses" you speak of amount to less than $5 per instance.

Actually, I have access to OHIP Fee schedule and it is more than $5.00 per instance, and there are numerous other bonuses that physicians receive, that NPs do not.

[Roll The Bones]

What really needs to happen is the upper echelon of SAH.. the board of directors... need to take some massive pay cuts and have that funding allocated to securing doctors, RNs, RPNs, PSWs... etc.
They continually cut back on front-line staffing, and say that they "don't have funding in the budget for more front-line workers", but Ron Gagnon is all too quick to take a salary/bonus increase to the tune of $42,000..... roughly the same as what a full time RPN makes... Every damn year! That guy's up in the $240K /yr salary bracket.. and he's as useless as a ..... well... we won't get into that...

100% agree with you

[MaO3]

Obviously something needs to change.... Having only one Oncologist in this city with the cancer rates we have is absolutely not acceptable. Dr's Spadafora and Briggdon were both run ragged as it was, now with him leaving.... wow is all I can say.

I truly hope that whatever the FIX is that they find it soon.

[blueeyedgirl]

I am moving out of town in September. So far my spouse and kids are staying in the Sault, but if the choice is solely up to me everyone would be moving.

Dont you dare take my son's Pediatrician away from here :P I don't think we will ever find another as good and as nice as her

[b&aMom]

Actually, I have access to OHIP Fee schedule and it is more than $5.00 per instance, and there are numerous other bonuses that physicians receive, that NPs do not.

Pardon me, I was off a few bucks...faulty memory. Per July 2011 Schedule:

Pap...if performed outside hospital...$11.55
Flu shot (immunizations).... with visit...each injection...$4.50
....sole reason...first injection....$9.45
.......add'l injections....$4.50

Not exactly bonuses that would make you wealthy, especially if you're paying off a quarter of a million in student loans.

Yes, there are premiums for visiting at hospital, attending deliveries, assisting, time of day/night, but who doesn't get that? Hell, even if you work minimum wage, you usually get a shift premium for working overnight, or guaranteed 3 hours pay if you are called into work.