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Longtime Williams Lake surgeon resigns over Interior Health admin changes

Dr. Dan Brosseuk has lived and worked in Williams Lake for the past 27 years
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Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake has lost a senior surgeon. Dr. Dan Brossuek, who has lived and worked in Williams Lake for the past 27 years, resigned last month due to B次元官网网址渃hanges in the function of the operating roomB次元官网网址 that he believes eroded the surgical teamB次元官网网址檚 ability to provide excellent care in a timely fashion. (Williams Lake Tribune file photo)

After working almost three decades as a surgeon at Cariboo Memorial Hospital (CMH) in Williams Lake, Dr. Dan Brosseuk has resigned.

B次元官网网址淔or the 27 years that I have practiced at CMH, I have been proud of the fact that we have provided excellent care in a timely fashion to our surgical patients,B次元官网网址 Brosseuk told Black Press Media March 28, 2022.

B次元官网网址淚 had not planned to resign my privileges at CMH in the foreseeable future; however, over the past year there have been changes in the function of the operating room that I believe eroded our ability to provide this level of care.B次元官网网址

Brosseuk did not elaborate on the details of his concerns leading up the resignation, though Debra Palin, who retired as a nurse March 31, told Black Press Media it was resulting from administrative decisions by Interior Health.

She said the loss is B次元官网网址済oing to effect Williams Lake in a very negative way.B次元官网网址

Interior gave an emailed statement when asked for comment on possible impacts to services due to BrosseukB次元官网网址檚 departure.

B次元官网网址淚nterior Health can confirm that one of three surgeons supporting the Cariboo Memorial Hospital has resigned. We are committed to recruiting another surgeon to fill this position as quickly as possible and recruitment is already under way. Until a new surgeon arrives, we will also have locum (visiting) surgeons providing surgeries for local patients. We do not anticipate surgical postponements related to this transition.B次元官网网址

Health authorities have been strained over the last two years across B.C. due to COVID-19. In January, Interior Health took a number of measures to manage the Omicron-driven staffing impacts on the health system, including temporarily rescheduling non-urgent surgeries as a response to that crisis to B次元官网网址渕aintain safe patient care.B次元官网网址

Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson praised the skill set Brosseuk brought to the region and worried about the implications of this change for residentsB次元官网网址 health care in the area.

B次元官网网址淚 am horrified at the effect that this could have on this community,B次元官网网址 said Doerkson. B次元官网网址(BrosseukB次元官网网址檚 skill set) is not easily replaced, particularly at a time when weB次元官网网址檙e extremely short on doctors. This is becoming a critical shortage in British Columbia.B次元官网网址

On the physician job site Health Match BC, there are currently 198 postings for a variety of permanent physician positions in the Interior alone, over 1,000 across all of B.C.

There were also 15 postings for physician roles in Williams Lake, which includes locum (short-term) and permanent doctor positions, including a psychiatrist and a general surgeon.

Williams Lake Mayor Walt Cobb was aware of BrosseukB次元官网网址檚 departure and said recruitment of doctors, nurses and other medical personnel has B次元官网网址渁lways been an issue on one level or another. It seems to have gotten worse in the last few years.B次元官网网址

B次元官网网址淚 have heard that heB次元官网网址檚 a top-notch surgeon and we certainly need that qualification in our community,B次元官网网址 he added.

He said the city is working on an agreement to support recruitment and retention in the area, but in the end, the recruitment of doctors is not the cityB次元官网网址檚 responsibility, it is Interior HealthB次元官网网址檚.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a provincial mandate,B次元官网网址 said Cobb.

During his career in Williams Lake Brosseuk was able to perform advanced laparoscopic procedures and B次元官网网址淓RCPB次元官网网址漵 B次元官网网址 a procedure to diagnose and treat problems in the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts and pancreas.

Brosseuk said it was B次元官网网址渧ery disappointing to have put so much time and effort into building a surgical department that was unique for a rural community and provided a level of surgical care not generally available in a community this size, then have to walk away from it due to the administrative changes being imposed on us.B次元官网网址

B次元官网网址淲orking with my colleagues and providing care to the patients of the Cariboo Chilcotin at CMH has been an absolute privilege. Leaving my practice has been an extremely difficult decision to make and one I did not make lightly. Nevertheless, given the circumstances I feel it was the right decision.B次元官网网址

Brosseuk is married to Dr. Gisele Adam, an ER physician at CMH who also assisted in the OR. Adam has also resigned her full time ER position but continues to work in the department until her shifts can be covered.

B次元官网网址淚 raised concerns with the Interior Health Authority and was subsequently told my concerns were unfounded with no further explanation provided and no avenue to further discussions,B次元官网网址 Adam told Black Press Media.

Adam has been in Williams Lake for five years, as a trainee and then as a full time ER doctor. She has family in the area and said she was committed to being here.

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ruth.lloyd@wltribune.com

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Ruth Lloyd

About the Author: Ruth Lloyd

I moved back to my hometown of Williams Lake after living away and joined the amazing team at the Williams Lake Tribune in 2021.
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