MUHC seasonal bed closures will mean longer waits for surgery, doctor warns

With the number of available beds at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)dipping to an unforeseen 719 for a total of 14 weeks of the year, anoncology surgeon at the hospital predicts wait times for cancer surgery could double, and elective surgeries could face even longer delays.

• Top MUHC official warns bed cuts, seasonal closures only way to meet budget
• Budget cuts pushing MUHC doctors to the limit, top surgeon says
• Quebec close to eliminating 1,300 healthcare jobs
• Quebec eliminates independent health watchdog

The bed closures, spelled out in a PowerPoint presentation to MUHC managers recently, amount to 10 weeks over the summer, twoweeks over theChristmas/New Year's holidays and twoweeks in the spring, for a total of 14 weeks.

MUHCstaff left scrambling

Doctors at the hospitalhave been left reeling by the news and are scrambling to figure out how to provide patient care with a dramatic decrease in thenumber of availablebeds for what adds up to a quarter of the year.

"Instead of my cancer patients waiting for three weeks for surgery, they'll wait five or six weeks during the summer," one oncology surgeon said, under the condition of remaining anonymous.

"As a cancer surgeon, I get first pick of surgical days availablebut it will still be fewer."

That surgeon said the bed cuts are certain to affect patients with less pressing conditions even more.

"Patients who have surgery that is required within three months, maybe that will be pushed to four or five months," the doctor said.

The seasonal bed closures affect all sites of theMUHCexcept forLachineHospital and will have an impact ongeneral medicine, surgery, pediatrics and the Montreal Neurological Institute.

At heart of dispute: 2007 clinical plan

The full extent of the closures comes a week after the leak of astrongly worded letter sent to hospital staff in February from EwaSidorowicz, theMUHC'sdirector of professional services and associate director general of medical affairs.

In that letter,Sidorowiczsaid a request for transitional funding to help in the year of the move to the new Glen site had been rejected by the Health Ministryamounting in a $32-million "spending correction."

In that Feb. 10 letter,Sidorowiczsaid that "correction" would translateinto cutting the number of beds across the network from 832 beds to 799.

Keep in mind that until January, 2016, theMUHChad 853 permanent beds.

However, a clinical plan signed between the hospital and the Health Ministry in 2007 required the MUHC to decrease that number to 832 beds.

Once these latestseasonal bed closures are factored in, the average number of available beds across theMUHCnetwork is 779.

CBC obtained a copy of the 2007 clinical plan through Quebec's access to information laws.

In it, theMUHCsays it plans to reduce the number of acute care beds to a total of 832, based on an "average occupancy rate" of 85 per cent.

Imagine, a brand new hospital, $1.3 billionlater ...and units closed even before they were ever used or inaugurated.- Paul Brunet, patients' rights activist

The plan does not make clearthat theMUHC's budget would be based on that "average occupancy,"however, MarioDi Carlo, the co-chair of the MUHCcentral users' committee, saysthat's how the Health Ministry has chosen to interpret it.

"We know the patient is going to fall between the cracks," said DiCarlo."It's going to affect care."

"I don't understand how they expect to do this without any impact on patients."

With so many fewer beds,Di Carlo is worried that patients will be rushed out of the hospital or left in limbo because the network that was supposed to be set up in the community simply isn't there.

"The MUHC slogan is best care for life. So how are we going to do this in this kind of context? I don't know," said Di Carlo, adding thatthe users group is closely monitoring what's happening.

"We don't want any fatalities on our hands."

No comment from Gatan Barrette

Health Minister Gatan Barrette refused to take questions Tuesday, briskly walking pastwaiting reporters on his way to a caucus meeting.

A spokesperson for the minister simply referredCBC back to the 2007 clinical plan.

It is a recurring refrain: Despite outcries about fewer elective surgeries, an overburdened emergency room and a concern the MUHC will be unableto deal with a sudden influx of patients, Barrette has repeatedly referred disgruntled doctors back to thatclinical plan.

"It always goes back to, 'We would like to stay as we were,'" Barrette said on Feb. 4. "Well, they signed. They agreed on something. And when you sign a paper, it has a value."

'Outdated' plan

Paul Brunet, the chairman of the Quebec Council for the Protection of Patients,said the problem boils down tothe MUHC's administration beingstuck applying a plan that many people believe isoutdated.

He said thebed cuts amount to a breach of service.

"Imagine, a brand new hospital, $1.3 billionlater, and not having appropriate services and units closed even before they were ever used or inaugurated," said Brunet.

Brunet said he would not be surprised if a senior MUHC administrator were to get the axein the coming weeks.

He said Barretteis unlikely to tolerate weeks of leaked memos, which has put the Ministry of Healthon the defensive.