'Not sustainable': Doctors Manitoba concerned about rural and northern Manitoba health-care system

Doctors Manitoba is voicing concern about the health-care system in rural and northern Manitoba.

One physician from Souris, Man., said he’s never seen so many rural ERs closed or only open part-time.

“We’re going to have to close our ER two out of seven days of the week,” said Dr. David Cram. “So you can imagine the impact this has on patients that rely on that hospital care.”

Doctors Manitoba said while there are 68 hospitals and health centres in rural and northern Manitoba, only 40 per cent are expected to be 24/7.

Of those health-care facilities, 34 per cent are open part-time.

Meanwhile, a quarter of facilities have been closed for more than a year and are not expected to reopen this summer.

“We’re just a nursing shift or a doctor shift away from one or two hospitals to close and that certainly has a domino effect. So it is just not sustainable.”

To help Manitobans deal with the issue as best as possible, Doctors Manitoba is launching a new resource website.

It offers guidance on what to do during a medical emergency and has links to updated ER closure notices in each region.

Doctors Manitoba said it will update the website weekly over the summer.