Musquodoboit Harbour Residents Concerned About Inpatient Care at Twin Oaks Memorial Hospital Amid Pay Dispute

Residents of Musquodoboit Harbour are raising concerns about the quality of inpatient care at Twin Oaks Memorial Hospital following a pay dispute between the province and five doctors at the facility. The doctors had initially threatened to resign in protest over changes to their payment structure, but have since rescinded their resignations as they continue negotiations with the province.

Despite the ongoing dispute, both the province and the local MLA, Kent Smith, are reassuring the community that hospital services will not be interrupted. Smith stated in a Facebook post that discussions are ongoing and he is cautiously optimistic for a positive outcome.

The payment model that the doctors have criticized is part of a recent contract between physicians and the government. The Longitudinal Family Medicine (LFM) model offers higher compensation to doctors who take on more responsibilities, such as caring for more patients or providing additional services. However, the doctors at Twin Oaks feel that this model does not adequately address the unique needs of their small community.

Dr. Gehad Gobran, president of Doctors Nova Scotia, has stated that they are working to educate physicians about the new payment model and find solutions that will sustain services without disadvantaging the doctors financially.

Despite the ongoing dispute, steps are being taken to ensure that patients continue to receive medical care at Twin Oaks. The emergency department will remain fully operational, and virtual urgent care services will continue to support patient needs.

Dr. David Brandon, one of the doctors involved in the dispute, emphasized that the hospital will remain open and they are committed to providing the best care possible within the limitations of the current system. However, he also noted that if the conflict persists and communication with the province does not improve, they may resign again in the future.

For now, the hospital will continue to operate with the current staff, but efforts are being made to hire an additional physician to ensure the ongoing provision of care to the community.