Healthcare Crisis

I am writing to you in lieu of the recent ER closures in Perth ON, and the impact it is having on the surrounding Frontenac communities.

In 2022, the Perth Regional hospital was forced to close its doors to the ER in response to the ongoing nursing shortage. This resulted in the ER being closed for three weeks until its reopening in July.

Regional hospitals are the center point of rural healthcare. They provide first line health services as well as primary health care in areas where clinic is and family medicine practices are scarce such as Frontenac= communities and surrounding areas.

The Perth Regional Hospital services bring in a large portion of the population for tertiary or specialty care. Some of these services include; palliative care, vascular protection clinic, primary care, diabetes management, medication management, chronic pain management services and mental health services. All of which can be done from a community perspective.

The nursing shortage is an issue that will be a long battle to resolve, but in the meantime, we need an action plan to support the health of our rural communities. Accessibility and universality has always been an issue for rural communities, and as I see it, community health services is the answer.

We need to put more resources into funding and supporting community health services. Community health services provide a wide range of services including, mental health services, wound care, palliative care, support of new parents and parenting education, care and support of chronic illness, medication management, diabetes support, education and management, etc. Many of these services are offered at the Perth Regional hospital.

According to Statistics Canada, 40% of the surrounding Frontenac communities are 65 and older. With 53% of the population working class age, who are making their way towards the senior category.

With an aging population comes increased health care needs and a decreased ability to travel great lengths

to the large regional hospitals that traditionally hold the services they require. Chronic illness, medication management, and palliative care become increasingly needed in the population.

Putting more resources into community health services will improve the health of the community as it will no longer need to solely rely on regional hospitals for health care.

The shift from large regional hospitals to community health services is the answer to combating the hospital closures and increasing accessibility and universality of health care in these rural communities. In conclusion, there needs to be a shift from traditional regional hospitals to community health services to support the health of rural communities such as the surrounding Frontenac communities. Increasing these services will help bring accessible services closer to the community and avoid having to rely on regional hospitals for health care needs.

Madeline Hatton