Quinte Health is facing a shortage of anesthesiologists.
During Tuesday’s Quinte Health Board of Directors meeting, Chief of Staff Dr. Colin MacPherson explained the staffing difficulties facing the local hospitals.
While there has been a shortage of anesthesiologists for a while, the situation worsened recently after the resignation of one anesthesiologist and two more requiring medical leave.
Dr. MacPherson said there are several causes for the shortage that have all come together.
“Probably, in retrospect, we could have been educating and training more anesthesiologists,” said Dr. MacPherson. “But also, there’s been evolving roles for anesthesiologists. So many of them now work outside of hospitals, in private clinics for endoscopy, for example, or for ophthalmology, cataract surgeries.”
The shortages aren’t unique to Quinte Health, with other hospitals also reporting shortfalls.
Recruitment efforts are underway to bring in more anesthesiologists in order to reduce pressure on the remaining staff.
