Charlotte County hospital could ease surgery stress in Saint John, says group

The surgery unit at the Charlotte County Hospital in St. Stephen could be used to ease the stress on regional hospitals where operating rooms are working at full capacity, says a spokesperson for a Charlotte County group.

Horizon Health Network announced on Wednesday the southwestern hospital would stop offering surgical services requiring general anesthesia effective Aug. 8.

Trudy Higgins, a member of the Concerned Citizens of Charlotte County,said she wasn't surprised by the decision, but is disappointedand concernedabout what may happen in the future with the hospital.

• Surgery program at Charlotte County Hospital shutting down

Higgins said she doesn't dispute the notion that the operating roomin the Charlotte County Hospital is under-utilized.

"We have said for a very long time that they should be using the other ORs," said Higgins.

"There are surgeons who have time that they could be operating but they have no operating room.It seems as if the people in rural areas are being penalized again because of where they live."

Horizon officials said that low surgical volume in St. Stephenis the reason the program is being shut down.

St. Stephen Mayor Allan MacEachen said the lone surgeon at the hospital is retiring soon.

Health Minister Victor Boudreau said the closure was "a clinical decision" made by Horizon after the surgeon "decided to slow things down to the point they can no longer keep the OR open."

Shift - NB14:13Charlotte County Hospital to lose OR

Regional Chief of Staff Dr. John Dornan explains why the hospital is losing surgery, and Trudy Higgins of Concerned Citizens reacts.Decreasing surgery volumes combined with "the change in practice by surgeons make closing the OR inevitable," saidDr. John Dornan,Horizon's chief of staff for the Saint John area, which includes St. Stephen.

Charlotte County residents requiring surgery will be treated at other Horizon Health facilities.

The hospital in St. Stephen will continue to provide minor procedures that can be carried out under a local anestheticat the hospital's walk-in clinic.