ER closures forced by shortage of doctors, nurses raise fears in rural Sask.

Residents in some rural Saskatchewan communities say closures forced by a shortage of doctors and nurses have left them without access to emergency room services, forcing residents to travel long distances in critical moments.

"The closures are just … coming one after the other," said Angela Silzer, who runs Interlake Human Resources Corporation, a non-profit organization and group home for adults with intellectual disabilities in Watrous, southeast of Saskatoon.

Silzer's facility is across the street from the local hospital, which has had to close its ER dozens of times since the start of the year.

"We're really concerned if we need emergency services," Silzer said. Some of her patients have serious health issues that could require immediate attention. 

In that case, Silzer would have to take them to the hospital in Humboldt, a roughly 80-kilometre drive.

She's worried about the effect that would have on her clients with intellectual disabilities, who may be confused about what's happening.

"We're already in a distressful situation, and then we have to go an hour away and wait for care with people we don't know," she said.

The Town of Watrous has been communicating the ER closures over a community Facebook page and posting signs on the hospital's doors. 

But "in an emergency, you're not going to take time to look at social media to find out if you have an emergency department," Silzer said.

Many people in the community have started to assume the hospital is always closed, she said.

"You might as well assume you have to go to the city, which is at least an hour drive to Saskatoon … or Humboldt."

The wait goes beyond the emergency room. Silzer said she has even started to put off medical appointments for her knee issues due to staffing shortages at the hospital.

"I'd go to anybody, but there is literally nobody to go to," she said.  With so many people facing barriers when looking for health care, many have started to feel "there is no point in even trying," she said.

Silzer calls it a "vicious cycle" that will put more strain on the health-care system. 

"You can't go in [to the hospital] when you should go in because you can't get an appointment," she said. "So you let things get worse. That could be with anything. It could be small things like my knee. It could be big things like cancer."

Summer months a challenge: mayor

Watrous Mayor John Gunderson says there is always concern in the community when health-care services are not available, even on a temporary basis. 

"In recent weeks, we have been in contact with various levels of the SHA [Saskatchewan Health Authority] and are satisfied they are doing everything to help resolve the situation," Gunderson wrote in an email to CBC Tuesday.

Currently, the town is short of doctors to cover the Watrous District Health Complex, Gunderson wrote.

During the summer months, it can be difficult to find locum coverage, said Gunderson, but he is "hopeful this can be restored soon."

"We continue to follow up with SHA and have another scheduled meeting later this week," he said. 

In Kipling, east of Regina, the ER closed on July 4. It's expected to remain closed until July 14, according to Mayor Patricia Jackson. 

"We have been informed that a couple of staff members have resigned," she said, adding that those in need of lab work or X-rays can be accommodated.

"But people will not be able to come in for ER because they cannot guarantee they can have staff," Jackson said. 

Until the hospital sorts its staffing shortages, Kipling residents have been asked to go to hospitals in Broadview, about a 35-kilometre drive, or Moosomin, about 75 kilometres away. Those in need of specialists must travel to Regina until Kipling's hospital reopens July 14.

"They fully anticipate that it will be reopened by then," Jackson said. 

Kipling has been grappling with a physician shortage since the beginning of 2024, according to Jackson. At that time, two of three doctors left the town of nearly 1,100 people.

Jackson said during that time they were "very fortunate" to be able to have coverage from locums and nearby communities.  

Many doctors have experienced a type of culture shock when moving to a small town like Kipling, said Jackson. Going forward, she wants doctors who are considering the move to know they are not only needed, but also supported. 

"It does take supports for them too, if they've never been in Saskatchewan before," said Jackson. 

12 ER closures, disruptions in past month: NDP

The recent emergency room closures have pushed the province's Official Opposition to sound the alarm.

The NDP said 12 hospitals have had their emergency rooms closed or "other disruptions to service" over the last month. 

"We hear of people arriving at facilities desperately seeking health care, only to find a sign on the door saying it's closed," Saskatchewan NDP associate health critic Keith Jorgenson said on Monday. 

He said many of the towns have also been using Facebook pages to communicate hospital closures, but that's been inconsistent. 

It's a concern "when these emergency rooms are closed, which could be the difference between life and death, and [are] closing without warning and without notice," Jorgenson said. "This simply should not be happening."

Despite the closures, Jorgenson said the Saskatchewan Party government has not made a path forward clear.

"Where is the accountability? Where is the plan to get us out of this mess? The truth is, there isn't a plan," he said. "We've seen that this government doesn't even seem to care."

CBC requested comment from both the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the provincial government on Tuesday. Neither provided comment prior to publication.