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By Ben Tompkins

Virtual Physician Pilot Program

Porcupine Plain hospital set to expand emergency room hours

Jun 30, 2023 | 4:07 PM

Starting July 1, residents of Porcupine Plain and area will have easier access to the local hospital’s emergency room, no matter what day or time it is.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) announced that emergency room hours at the Porcupine Carragana Hospital will be increased from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

This will coincide with the official launch of the Virtual Physician (VP) pilot program.

The program is a temporary measure that uses HealthLine 811 to provide nursing staff with remote access to physicians located elsewhere in the province during periods of physician shortages or other coverage issues in a community.

Due to the remote nature of the VP program, ER patients requiring urgent or life-threatening care will be taken to an appropriate acute care facility for treatment by an on-site physician.

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The status of on-site care of patients that present to the ER will be determined by the health assessment of the VP and will be limited according to the scope of practice of the Registered Nurses (RNs) and Combined Laboratory and X-ray Technologists (CLXTS) on duty, and may require Emergency Medical Services (EMS) transport to another location for treatment.

In addition to launching the pilot, the SHA has continued to work to fill gaps with on-site physician coverage over the summer months with locums.

This work, along with the support of the local on-site physician and nursing, lab, and diagnostic imaging staff, has resulted in the initial increase in ER hours from the current hours of 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Meanwhile, following this first expansion, starting Monday, July 10, the SHA will then further increase ER hours to 8 a.m. to 12 midnight daily.

A second physician is currently in the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) program and is expected to begin providing services in Porcupine Plain in July.

“The SHA is committed to restoring 24/7 emergency services in Porcupine Plain and full ED and acute care services will continue to expand when additional local physician resources become available,” the release stated.

Alternate Level of Care (ALC) admissions will remain in place in the meantime. In the event of an emergency, residents should call 911.

If residents have questions about their health or mental health, professional advice is also available by calling 811 to reach the Saskatchewan HealthLine toll-free 24 hours per day.

“Recruiting and retaining health professionals is a top priority for the SHA and the government,” the release continued to read.

“Expanding the Rural Physician Incentive Program is part of the Government of Saskatchewan’s nearly $100 million investment in 2023-24 to support the Health Human Resources Action Plan, which includes several initiatives to recruit, train, incentivize, and retain doctors and other health care professions.”

Back in March, the provincial government announced enhancements to the Rural Physician Incentive Program (RPIP) to help attract more family physicians to rural and northern communities across Saskatchewan.

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