N.B. Medical Society calls for end of virtual ER pilot at 2 hospitals, warns of closures
The New Brunswick Medical Society is speaking out against the virtual care service being tested at two rural emergency departments in the province. The society, which represents over 2,000 physicians, is calling on Horizon Health Network and the Department of Health to cancel the Teladoc service, arguing that it is a misuse of nearly $866,000 in a time of crisis.
The society’s board of directors is urging for the funding to be redirected towards increasing access to urgent and primary care after-hours in the Sussex and St. Stephen areas, as well as providing incentives for ER doctors to work in small, rural hospitals. While virtual care solutions can be appropriate in certain clinical contexts, the society believes that the current pilot project is not the right approach.
Dr. Lise Babin, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, expressed concerns about the contract with Teladoc Health Canada, a private sector agency, and questioned why taxpayer funds were being used for this service when there are more cost-effective and efficient solutions available. The society is worried that the virtual care service will lead to more small ERs closing, as clinicians may opt for the less onerous option of virtual care.
One of the key concerns raised by the society is the impact on nurses, who are being pulled away from their other duties in the ER to assist the virtual doctors. The society is also questioning the equal pay for virtual doctors and on-site ER doctors, as well as the potential for New Brunswick physicians to be hired by Teladoc and then sold back to the province at a premium.
Dr. Robert Dunfield, an emergency room physician who worked part-time at the Sussex Health Centre and quit working for Teladoc in December, has also criticized the pilot project. He believes that the virtual care service is too slow, diverts nurses from helping more critical patients, and is eroding the gold standard of emergency care. Dunfield raised concerns about the efficiency of the virtual service and its impact on patient care in rural areas.
Horizon Health Network has defended the virtual care service, stating that it has reduced the workload of on-site ER doctors by 20% and has improved patient satisfaction. Dr. Serge Melanson, the executive director of emergency medicine for Horizon, stated that the virtual service is providing high-quality care and has the potential to fill gaps in staffing in rural areas.
Despite the differing opinions on the virtual care service, the New Brunswick Medical Society is calling for the contract details to be made public to better understand the terms and conditions. Horizon Health Network has acknowledged the concerns raised by the society and other stakeholders and is committed to providing patients with timely and accessible care.
