IMPACT OF PATHOLOGIST SHORTAGE FELT IN BRANDON

Press Release- 01/21/2010

NEWS RELEASE

January 21, 2010

For Immediate Release

IMPACT OF PATHOLOGIST SHORTAGE FELT IN BRANDON

Westman Regional Laboratory is short almost half its pathologists. It’s a problem frontline professionals are calling a crisis says Progressive Conservative Health Critic Myrna Driedger and Minnedosa MLA Leanne Rowat.

"The critical shortage of pathologists at the Westman Lab means that thousands of specimens are sent to other labs for analysis, and patients are forced to wait longer for lab test results,” Driedger said. “Add to that the staff morale issues that come with excessively heavy workloads, and the problem is only getting worse.”

Recent figures obtained through the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act show that Westman is sending thousands of specimens to other labs at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars every year.  In 2008-09, 32,581 lab tests were sent to other laboratories at a total cost of more than $35,000. In the first seven months of the 2009-10 fiscal year alone, 27,091 tests were sent elsewhere, costing taxpayers more than $260,000.

"Rather than wasting money to outsource this service, the NDP government should be using the money to hire pathologists in Westman," said Minnedosa MLA Leanne Rowat. "The NDP say that specimens are sent elsewhere when work volumes are especially high, but if there wasn't a shortage of pathologists, we wouldn't have this problem."

Last month, a pathologist at Diagnostic Services Manitoba (DSM) - which is responsible for the Westman Regional Laboratory - blew the whistle about serious allegations of compromised patient safety, excessive workloads, and chronic staff shortages in the province's pathology program. As a result, the province quietly launched an investigation of DSM. Unfortunately, most frontline professionals are too afraid of retribution to speak up with their concerns. Some, however, are sharing their concerns with Driedger.

"I'm told the turnaround time for specimens is higher than normal and, in some cases, is actually much higher than what DSM has publicly acknowledged - up to two months in some instances," said Driedger. "When patients are forced to wait longer for results, they are also forced to wait longer for treatment to start.

“This shortage is compromising patient care and it needs to be addressed today,” Driedger said. "The Minister of Health has known about this for years but has allowed this to reach a point of crisis."