Ron van Denakker

The Interlake-Eastern RHA is preparing for the spring and summer season, by ensuring their hospital emergency rooms are adequately staffed.

It's an issue that's been in the news recently, following a rally in Eriksdale, in response to doctors threatening to withdraw services as of May 1st, over the practice of nurse-managed care in some hospitals.

RHA CEO Ron van Denakker says they're working on a resolution with the doctors.

"They have removed the May 1st deadline because I think that the discussions are going quite well with them, as well as Manitoba Health. And the hope is that we will send out further communication shortly indicating nurse-managed care will  carry on until the end of the September long weekend. But by that time, we will have established a very robust exit strategy."

Van Denakker says they're dealing with ensuring ERs are staffed.

"The discussions with our physician partners are around stabilizing, perhaps not all sites across the region, but a significant number, so there is predictable, reliable, safe care in specific locations. So what we're doing is working with government around some models of funding, so that we could support the existing docs with other docs outside the region that would fill those shifts."

Van Denakker believes they're close to solving the problem, and when that happens, they'll make sure people know.

"Our communications folks are working really closely with municipalities, using links on existing websites to ensure that the message is clear. We are also doing lots of staff communication, and, obviously, through media as well. Our intent is to actually get ahead of the curve, to let people know where those services can be seen."