A health care forum set for Tuesday in Burns Lake is expected to attract at least 400 people concerned about the planned exodus of all doctors in the town and the replacement of the tired, old hospital.
The forum, hosted by Lakes District Health Advisory Committee (LDHAC), runs from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Island Gospel Church gymnasium.
The LDHAC's draft agenda lists the needs the community face.
"We would like to see: a fully-functional hospital with operating room, improvements to recruitment and retention policies, a local hospital administrator, and better communications."
Presentations and responses are expected by members of the LDHAC, Lakes District MLA John Rustad (Liberal), Michael McMillan, chief operating officer of Northern Health (NH), Dr. Charles Jago, NH board chair and local doctors and nurses.
There will be a petition to sign, survey to fill out, letters from residents to be read and a question and answer period.
Issues surrounding doctor coverage in Burns Lake reached a critical level recently when all four physicians submitted resignations effective April 29.
But Northern Health continues to say it is determined to meet the challenges to continue offering high-quality health care to the region.
"We are absolutely committed to ensuring medical services, the hospital and the emergency unit remain in Burns Lake. We are developing both short-term and medium-term plans to ensure future stability there," McMillan told The Citizen in an earlier interview.
He added NH, the physicians in Burns Lake and Ministry of Health are working well together to put a different model in place, focused on supporting physicians, so it becomes a more attractive location to recruit to in the future.
"I am confident we will get through this difficult period," McMillan said.
Rustad believes the biggest issue in Burns Lake is the hospital itself.
"It needs to be replaced, and it's our number one capital priority. As part of the replacement, we hope to bring the doctors under one roof," said Rustad, who's been meeting with NH and provincial government officials regarding the urgency to replace the aging hospital.
Paula Van Tine, member of the LDHAG, says if the NH board meeting on Feb. 14 in Burns Lake is any indication, the rally will attract a crowd of residents.
"LDHAC made a 15-minute presentation on Burns Lake health concerns and about 80 people jammed into the board room to support concerns."
