Dr. Ron Matsusaki, a physician in DGH’s emergency department for the past five and a half months, suggests area residents should be actively protesting downsizing of their hospital. Jeanne Whitehead photograph
Ultrasound underused at DGH
Patients sent to Yarmouth for services that could be done in Digby
Digby patients are spending time and money traveling to Yarmouth for diagnostic imaging tests that could be done in their hometown, according to local physician Dr. Ron Matsusaki.
Matsusaki, who has worked in the emergency department at Digby Regional Hospital for the past five and a half months, says that Digby’s ultrasound department could be running five days a week.
“We have equipment and technicians that simply aren’t being used,” he said.
“We could be providing a service to people in the local area, and we could significantly reduce the time they have to wait for their tests, but instead many of them are being sent to Yarmouth.”
Matsusaki says bookings for diagnostic imaging are done in Yarmouth, so that facility is constantly fully booked and patients are waiting, while Digby’s ultrasound department is operating at less than full capacity.
Medical needs of people in Yarmouth, Digby and Shelburne counties are served by the South West Nova District Health Authority, which was created in 2001. Officially, the intention of the regionalization of Nova Scotia’s hospitals was to bring health care decision-making closer to the community level and improve accountability for health care decisions.
Matsusaki suggests the opposite has happened. Since regionalization, Yarmouth General Hospital has had increased control over the delivery of medical care and services at the Digby General Hospital.
He adds that both citizens and DGH staff members have told him the downsizing of Digby Hospital has accelerated since regionalization.
He also expresses concern that if equipment at Digby’s hospital is not being fully utilized a case could be made for transferring it to the busier Yarmouth hospital.
Judy LeBlanc, site manager at Digby General Hospital, acknowledges Digby patients have been sent to Yarmouth when they might have had their diagnostic imaging tests done here.
Fraser Mooney, communications director with South West Health, says these instances have been a result of glitches with the 1-888 booking service that was put in place last July.
He says that, for the time being, it wouldn’t be unreasonable for Digby area patients to question the operator if they advised a medical imaging procedure will take place in Yarmouth rather than Digby.
“We working at ironing the glitches out,” says Mooney. “Certainly, the plan is to provide services to patients in their own community whenever it’s possible.”
