August 30, 1999
(Health and Community Services)

Report on issues of contention between physicians from Burin area and Peninsulas Health Care Corporation released today

Dr. Arthur May and Joan Marie Aylward, Minister of Health and Community Services, today released the report into issues of contention between physicians from the Burin Peninsula Health Care Centre (BPHCC) and the Peninsulas Health Care Corporation (PHCC) at a news conference in Marystown.

Minister Aylward decided an independent review into the situation between the Burin area physicians and the PHCC was necessary. Dr. May was asked to carry out the review after community leaders in the Burin area recommended him.

In reviewing the situation, Dr. May carried out site visits, reviewed several relevant reports and documents, and interviewed physicians, board members, professional and support staff of the board, mayors, and members of the Chamber of Commerce throughout June and July. The minister was pleased, first and foremost, at Dr. May's conclusion that the people of the Burin Peninsula currently enjoy a high standard of health care, and that the medical competence of all physicians in the system is unquestioned by any one of them.

ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION

Dr. May found that there are essentially two general views held on issues between the Burin area physicians and the PHCC. "The first view, held by a small number of senior physicians, is that there are continuing major management, administrative, communication and like problems, and that these problems have been exacerbated by the creation of the PHCC," said Dr. May. "The other view, held by all but a handful of senior physicians, is that a few senior physicians are attempting to maintain power, control and personal privileges to the ultimate detriment of the system as a whole."

"I believe that it is a factual conclusion," said Dr. May, "that a small group of physicians has not adapted and does not wish to adapt to the fact of the Peninsulas Health Care Corporation, and are actively in opposition to its ongoing implementation both within and outside the corporation. It should be noted that these problems with the senior physicians pre-dated the creation of the Peninsulas Health Care Corporation, but have been amplified and exacerbated since that time by the fact that senior management is not consistently present on site."

RECOMMENDATIONS

In his report, Dr. May makes two recommendations to the minister:

1. That physicians who are unable or unwilling to accommodate to the fact of the PHCC and the working arrangements emanating therefrom, and who are not prepared to cooperate with their colleagues in addressing day-to-day and longer term issues, should either absent themselves from these issues and concentrate on the delivery of medical services or, alternatively, seek employment elsewhere;

2. The corporation should provide for a stronger managerial presence on the Burin Peninsula. At a minimum, Dr. May recommends the presence of a senior officer reporting to the CEO, and responsible overall for management issues, for a minimum of six months and a maximum of two years. An alternative approach would be to locate at least one of the corporation VPs on the Burin Peninsula so that a demonstrated permanent capacity at the executive level is present.

MINISTER WILL URGE CORPORATION TO ACT QUICKLY ON RECOMMENDATIONS

The Minister of Health and Community Services accepts the recommendations of Dr. May, and will pass the report on to the chair of the PHCC for immediate consideration and response.

"I agree with Dr. May that the Peninsulas Health Care Corporation is now at a turning point where the road ahead can be clearly toward an integrated system," said Minister Aylward. "I believe that with attention to the issues which have caused the controversies on the Burin Peninsula, the PHCC can move ahead `strengthened in all its parts'."

The minister said the board of the PHCC should also find comfort in knowing there is a genuine wish and genuine will by staff and physicians generally to get on with the job of building the corporation.

"The work of the PHCC speaks for itself," said the minister. "Recruitment and retention efforts have improved significantly. In January 1998, for example, there were 20 physician vacancies. Today there are only five. In the past year alone, the corporation recruited 26 physicians. And, the PHCC's institutions enjoy the highest award for accreditation given by the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation." Accreditation means that the facilities meet or exceed national standards set out by the CCHSA.

The minister said she will encourage the PHCC to respond quickly to Dr. May's recommendations.

Media contact: Glenn Bruce, Communications, (709) 729-1377.

Click to view Dr. May's report.

1999 08 30 3:30 p.m.