FILE PHOTO

(ASHLEY LEGASSIC / iNFOnews.ca)

A woman who lives in a rural community near Kamloops has been left feeling frustrated after her long-awaited appointment at Royal Inland Hospital was postponed.

The patient, whom iNFOnews.ca agreed to remain anonymous, understands that COVID-19 brings numerous challenges for health-care providers, but she said Interior Health should do more to convey exactly what services are being impacted.

Wanting to avoid risks of transmission at the hospital, she booked her appointment for the end of clinic hours at the Heart Function Clinic, where she regularly visits cardiologists for long-term heart issues.

After booking six months in advance, she received notice in the mail that the clinic was closed for at least 30 days, just days before her long-awaited appointment.

READ MORE: B.C.'s top doctor says it's time to get used to living with COVID-19

"I think Interior Health should own up to the fact that they're shutting down major departments like this," the patient said.

Interior Health announced on Jan. 18 that some outpatient clinics at Royal Inland Hospital would be closed temporarily as regional healthcare providers struggle with "Omicron-related COVID-19 staffing challenges."

“As we manage the Omicron-driven COVID-19 staffing impacts on the health system, Interior Health is proactively identifying services to adjust and relocate in order to maintain safe patient care,” Interior Health president and CEO Susan Brown said in a media release at that time. “We will resume normal operations in impacted communities as soon as possible and in the meantime, we are temporarily reassigning and redeploying staff to sustain essential services throughout the region.

“Current COVID-19 pressures have led to a staffing crisis that requires temporary emergency measures to maintain access to essential services that are relied on regionally. We regret the impacts these service adjustments may cause and will be contacting patients, clients and residents directly to address care needs wherever possible.”

READ MORE: Homeless man who died outside in Kamloops will be missed among street community

An Interior Health spokesperson told iNFOnews.ca that along with the heart function clinic, some outpatient eye care services, diabetic foot services, outpatient physiotherapy and occupational therapy services have been impacted.

Rural communities around Kamloops have also been facing their own challenges, with adjustments in Barriere and Ashcroft.

Hours have been reduced at emergency departments in both communities, with a drop to just one day per week at the Barriere and District Health Centre.

While the Jan. 18 news release from the health authority does not address exactly which departments were affected as the hospital deals with staffing needs, it explains that non-urgent surgeries were postponed and services were reduced across the region.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2022