Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) is facing an unprecedented pediatric care crisis, according to Dr. Duncan de Souza, head of the hospital’s anesthesia department. Dr. de Souza and other health care providers spoke to the crowd at a recent town hall meeting. The long wait times and lack of resources available to pediatric patients at KGH, particularly when measured up against the standards set by Victoria General Hospital (VGH), were raised.
Dr. de Souza wanted to make clear that what’s going on at KGH right now is unlike anything ever experienced in BC. He noted, “We do not know of anything similar that has ever happened in British Columbia, where a major hospital has lost such a key component of its services.” This loss has dire consequences for the emergency care of children in need of urgent medical attention.
The town hall meeting was inspired by a growing concern about the decline of pediatric care at KGH. Matthew Petrie, a pediatrician at the hospital, warned of a troubling pattern. Sadly, he observed that kids are now spending longer periods in the emergency department because there are insufficient services to address their needs. “We’re holding those children in our department for longer,” Dr. Petrie stated, underscoring the strain on KGH’s pediatric resources.
One of the critical issues affecting pediatric care at KGH is the absence of a pediatric intensive care unit (ICU). This shortcoming obligates medical professionals to move children to different hospitals when they require advanced pediatric specialty care. This shift pulls critical resources from an increasingly strained system. Dr. de Souza pointed out that this situation exacerbates the challenges faced by KGH, stating, “What we have now is the result of whatever level of advocacy and push for pediatrics that existed in IHA and we see the effects of what’s going on now.”
While Dr. de Souza recognizes the challenges KGH continues to face, he pushes for more transformative change. He argues that KGH follow a model more similar to VGH, which offers more specialized pediatric care and has superior facilities, such as a higher-level newborn ICU and a dedicated pediatric ICU. “I hope that we can follow the model that’s out there in Victoria for a better level of pediatric care,” he said, emphasizing the potential benefits of such a shift.
Dr. de Souza said he cannot overstate how positive the response has been from KGH to recognize and address the situation. “We are at an inflection point. I hope things improve,” he remarked. His worries reflect a new sentiment shared across the health care world in Kelowna. They recognize a tremendous opportunity for expanding pediatric services to more effectively meet the needs of the community.
Having been a major referral center for pediatric care, the contrast that Victoria provides to the current state of KGH is quite alarming. Dr. de Souza pointed out that Kelowna has excellent pediatric care. He reiterated that it’s well short of what children get in Victoria. He is convinced that just carrying out the most effective advocacy strategies will be key in closing this gap.
Dr. de Souza closed with a final message recognizing the immediacy with which we need to respond to these challenges. He stated, “When we look for a solution for a sustainable model for Kelowna General and for IHA, we don’t have to look far and wide. We only have to look in our own province to find something that works.”
