Contingency plans in place to ensure continuity of pediatric and obstetric services in the Northwest
Edmundston, Friday, July 22, 2022 – Vitalité Health Network announces that pediatric services at Edmundston Regional Hospital will be interrupted temporarily next week, Monday, July 25, 8:00 a.m., to Friday, August 5, 8:00 a.m. due to a lack of pediatricians in the facility. This interruption will lead to adapted obstetric services to ensure the safety of babies.
Vitalité Health Network prioritizes access to safe and optimal health care for the entire population. «We are in the middle of the summer and barely out of the pandemic, so the temporary lack of staff is forcing us to revise how we are going to deliver care to the public. The interruption of services is not acceptable, and we are working proactively to boost the resilience of our services to avoid such situations! Pregnant women affected will be contacted individually to establish a safe delivery plan for each of them,” said Dr. France Desrosiers, President and CEO of Vitalité Health Network.
“In the short term, we must review our delivery of pediatric services to optimize and maintain our services. We are actively seeking solutions with the people on site and our partners at Horizon Health Network, and we are certain that we will find short- and medium-term solutions,” added Dr. Desrosiers.
“Recruiting specialists is definitely a priority, but it is not our only possible solution. The shortage of pediatric specialists is not unique to Vitalité Health Network; it is affecting the entire province and Canada as well. We are facing a critical shortage of pediatricians and we must make the public aware of this fact,” the CEO pointed out.
Vitalité Health Network asks the public to note the following:
Critical period: Monday, July 25, 8:00 a.m., to Friday, August 5, 8:00 a.m.
Pediatric services
Persons requiring pediatric services must go to the Emergency at Edmundston Regional Hospital where they will be treated on a case-by-case basis and possibly redirected to another Network facility or one of its partners if a pediatric consultation proves necessary. A transfer corridor with patients arriving by ambulance has been established with Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton to guarantee service delivery.
Obstetric services
With respect to pregnant women, unless they require urgent care, they will be directed to another hospital for their delivery, to ensure the safety of babies. Vitalité Health Network will communicate directly with pregnant women affected by this situation, but those who wish to obtain further information can call 506-739-2746. It should be noted that all obstetric services up to delivery and after delivery are being maintained.
The Network apologizes for the inconveniences caused by this situation.
