Cape Breton vascular surgeon loses hospital privileges

Dr. Ronen Jhirad, a Cape Breton vascular surgeon, will no longer be able to operate because the Nova Scotia Health Authority decided not to renewhis hospital privileges.

The doctor says he thinks the decision was based on his personality more than his skills.

The Health Authority will not explain their reasoning, citing legal reasons.

"I've had a long and sometimes disputatious exchange with my hospital colleagues about what I consider to be quality of care issues. I feel like there's been, to some degree, some sort of backlash against that criticism," Dr. Jhirad, who has worked in Sydney since 2009.

Jhirad officially loses his privileges Wednesday.

Shifting the work

Dr. Dale Miller, medical site lead for the Health Authority's eastern zone, says arrangements have been made for another doctor to take over some of Jhirad's work.

"We have another vascular surgeon in Cape Breton and they have agreed to increase their coverage of a number of
different areas including consultations, diagnostic procedures, surgical interventions and emergency interventions," he said.

Dr. Miller says, patients with complicated cases may now have to travel to Halifax for surgery.He says the province is currently reviewing vascular services and may decide to move some to Halifax.

Dr. Jhirad predicts wait times in the eastern zone will increase and the quality of vascular services will decrease.