New staffing helps stabilize care at Summerside's Prince County Hospital
CBC
Dr. Tyler McDonell, medical director at Prince County Hospital, says he's cautiously optimistic about the future of critical care services at the Summerside hospital following a series of new hires.
But the hospitalist said a lot of work needs to happen before the facility can restore some of the services it lost.
Health P.E.I. downgraded the hospital's intensive-care unit (ICU) in spring 2023 because of a shortage of internal medicine specialists and nurses.
In January, services were cut even further when the hospital's progressive-care unit (PCU), which replaced the ICU, was cut from eight beds to four.
McDonell described the last 12 months as "difficult" and "chaotic."
"We have to find ways to overcome these gaps, so not having an ICU, we had to find ways to still look after these patients right?" McDonell told CBC News during a tour of the hospital's emergency room Thursday.
"They don't all get sent [elsewhere]. Some do. The sickest of the sick do, but we've still had to find ways to manage these people in house."
McDonell said with a busy emergency room with two trauma bays, operating rooms and an obstetrics department, it is important to see the ICU restored.
He said that can't happen soon enough.
"I know we will be back. It's a matter of when, not if we'll be back," McDonell said.
"We need to keep building. We aren't there yet, despite the early wins that we are talking about today. We've not been able to offer more services just yet."
Health P.E.I. officials confirmed two internal medicine physicians have been hired. One started earlier this month; the other will start in July.
There have also been additional respiratory therapists and nurses brought on staff.
There are still some big gaps, especially if the hospital wants to restore a fully functioning intensive-care unit:
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