Kamloops hospital OB/GYNs say they were forced to ration care between patients

The seven obstetrician-gynecologists who tendered their resignations from a Kamloops hospital this month say they were routinely forced to choose which mothers and babies to treat as staff shortages and extreme burnout made conditions unsafe.

Their concerns are outlined in a statement they released Monday, which provides more detail into what compelled the entire group to step away from in-hospital care at Royal Inland Hospital.

“When we are forced to ration care, have patients wait longer than they should, or suffer the harm that long waits can cause, everyone involved experiences stress and moral injury,” said doctors Hilary Baikie, Jennifer Kozic, Paula Lott, Erin Adams, Michael Hsiao, Rita Chuang and Christine Sutton.