The Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority has come to a temporary agreement with its physicians for the summer. The RHA and its physicians have been discussing the practice of nurse managed care, which had some doctors threatening to pull out if the practice didn't cease. The concerns over nurse managed care came to a head earlier this year, with a large protest taking place outside the hospital in Eriksdale. Since that time the RHA and physicians have been continuing discussions surrounding the practice.

An agreement for the summer months has now been put in place, to address the influx in population as cottagers come to the region. However, CEO Ron Van Denakker says the extended period of nurse managed care will also provide an opportunity to create an exit strategy.

"This time over the next several months will be to figure out what that looks like, consult with staff in the communities, and then have enough time to communicate what an exit strategy would look like."

While they're working to address the situation, Van Denakker emphasizes nurse managed care doesn't create any danger for patients. He notes nurses are the main care providers to all patients, and nurse managed care simply means a doctor working in another location would need to be contact by phone, rather than having a doctor on-site.

Over the summer the IERHA is going to be consulting with front-line staff, community leaders, physicians and the public to create a plan to move away from nurse managed care. Part of that challenge will mean increasing the focus on doctor recruitment, as Van Denakker says they want to see a physician on-site in all of their communities.

"At the end of the day we're hoping a vast majority of the emergency rooms will be staffed by physicians. Which would mean that remote access to physicians won't be required, as physicians are already there."

He says the physicians have been very understanding of the situation, and adds he's grateful for the time an effort put in by staff of Manitoba Health. The goal is to have the practice completely eliminated from the IERHA region by early September.