Ultrasound services in Nelson and Castlegar are slowly returning to those communities but staffing problems still mean fewer hours of operation than before the interruptions. Also, services could be cut once more in the fall.
The services were cut in February when staffing shortages meant Interior Health could no longer run the ultrasound machine at the Castlegar and District Community Health Centre or the echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) at Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson.
The health authority has juggled work schedules to operate the machines on a limited basis, says Thalia Vesterback, director of diagnostic imaging for Interior Health East. Those temporary fixes only cover to the end of September.
Vesterback says Interior Health also managed to recruit one new ultrasound tech to the region and convince a part-time ultrasound technologist to take on some more shifts.
Photo source: gregor_y, Flickr, Creative Commons.
Nelson heart ultrasound offered monthly
Nelson’s heart ultrasound will run on a monthly basis. Vesterback expects that will mean four or five days a month.
This is a dramatic reduction from service before February’s interruption when Interior Health had a full-time technologist operating the machine. Heart ultrasounds were available Monday to Friday when that employee was working.
The employee went on leave and is expected to return to work in early 2012.
Castlegar service ‘almost’ restored
Meanwhile, Castlegar’s ultrasound services will average out to be the same before the interruption, says Vesterback.
Interior Health will offer routine scans between one and three times a week. Before the interruption scans were available twice a week.
That community had to fight for their ultrasound last year when Interior Health planned to move the machine to Trail.
The community protested the move and Castlegar’s council joined in, shutting down a street to truck traffic in a bid to stop Interior Health from moving the machine.
Regional hospital in Trail remains priority
The Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail remains Interior Health’s priority, says Vesterback.
The health authority has increased heart ultrasound services there to pick up the slack from the Nelson and Castlegar hospitals and Vesterback is focusing on staffing there before looking to the other hospitals.
“Our main priority is we have to make sure we’re providing the services the [Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital] needs,” Vesterback says. “Once that’s met and we have extra staff who want to work more we’re scheduling them to work those days.”
Services could be cut in September
The minimal restoration of services is only in effect until the end of September. Interior Health has put out a request for proposals for more ultrasound technologists to work after September.
This call is for contractors, not staff. Vesterback says the health authority would rather employ staff would move to the community but a worldwide shortage of people trained to use ultrasound machines means health authorities everywhere are struggling to find qualified people.
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