A lower-level medical practitioner is filling in for Snow Lake’s lone physician, raising concerns about emergency health care in the northern town.
Dr. Eman Yousif is on a scheduled vacation from August 11 to September 2. The Northern Health Region (NHR) has hired a physician assistant to fill in for her during that time.
“We could not find a physician that would cover [Snow Lake] during that time period…but were able to secure a physician sssistant to come to the community,” said NHR spokeswoman Twyla Storey.
While physician assistants are highly trained medical professionals, they refer more urgent medical situations to physicians.
In an emergency situation, a patient in Snow Lake would be transported to Flin Flon, The Pas or Winnipeg, depending on the need, Storey said.
She said the physician assistant in Snow Lake can provide a variety of services, including conducting patient interviews, performing physical exams and counselling, among others.
Storey said the physician assistant is receiving ongoing communication and support from the Flin Flon General Hospital emergency department.
Ross Gilmore, chief administrative officer for the Town of Snow Lake, takes the perspective that health coverage in Snow Lake remains “pretty good” for a fairly remote community.
“You make do with what you have to,” he said.
“It’s difficult in a town like Snow Lake, when you only have one physician on staff, when they do have to take holidays – it’s understandable when they would.
“If I broke a leg, they could handle it. If I had a compound fracture, they’d consult another physician and maybe they’d fly me out, but they would have flown me out even if there was a physician here because there’s no surgeon.”
Others are concerned by the three-week period without physician coverage.
“A community of that size needs to have a doctor in a hospital,” said Flin Flon MLA Tom Lindsey, whose riding includes Snow Lake.
“If it’s something serious, obviously they’re going to get transported, but that’s two-and-a-half hours away at best.”
