October 20, 2021 – Eastern Health continues to explore innovative approaches to maintain high quality patient-centred care throughout the region, including providing virtual care at some Emergency Departments. Virtual care has already been implemented with success at select sites within Eastern Health, as well as in other health regions throughout the province, and across the country.
There is no imminent requirement to implement virtual care at the Bonavista Peninsula Health Centre, however, given current challenges with recruitment and retention of physicians and nurses throughout the province and the country, Eastern Health is taking a proactive approach to avoid potential service disruption. For this reason, equipment required to provide virtual care has been installed at the Emergency Department in Bonavista, in the event of an unforeseen circumstance where a physician is not available to provide Emergency Department coverage.
The installation of this equipment does not signal a reduction in physician coverage for the Emergency Department or for dialysis, chemotherapy or inpatient units. Eastern Health remains committed to delivering the most appropriate care to meet residents’ needs and physician recruitment and retention throughout the region continues to be a priority.
We are actively recruiting physicians and nurses for our health-care facilities through the region, with the goal of ensuring that services continue uninterrupted. Eastern Health has a physician recruiter who works closely with Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine; presents at recruitment events; and keeps in contact with potential candidates at medical schools. Other recruitment efforts include widely advertising in physician journals; attending physician conferences; and posting physician positions on the Newfoundland and Labrador Practice website.
Benefits of virtual care include improved access to health care, decreased travel, rapid access to emotional support, convenience for appointments, and improved ability to follow social distancing or other public health measures.
For more information about virtual care and how it benefits patients, physicians and the health-care system, please visit https://www.easternhealth.ca/find-health-care/virtual-care/.