Imagine being forced to choose which mother or baby gets life-saving care—a decision no doctor should ever have to make. But that’s exactly what seven obstetrician-gynecologists in Kamloops, British Columbia, claim they faced daily before resigning from Royal Inland Hospital earlier this month. In a powerful statement released on Monday, these doctors revealed the heartbreaking reality of their work environment, where staff shortages and extreme burnout created conditions they deemed unsafe for patients.
Here’s where it gets even more alarming: these OB/GYNs say they were routinely pressured to ration care, leaving patients waiting longer than they should—sometimes with devastating consequences. “When we’re forced to make impossible choices, everyone suffers,” the doctors wrote. “The stress and moral injury are unbearable.”
And this is the part most people miss: the doctors had repeatedly raised concerns with British Columbia’s Ministry of Health and Interior Health, the local health authority. They highlighted the absurd expectations placed on them, such as covering 24-hour shifts where they were responsible for all obstetrical emergencies, surgical assists, and even unscheduled gynecology cases. Their proposal? Limit on-call physicians to emergency patients only during those grueling shifts. The ministry’s response? Insist they handle emergency obstetrics, unscheduled gynecology, and scheduled obstetrics. Is this a recipe for safe patient care, or a ticking time bomb?
The doctors also pointed to “extreme” burnout from covering two or more 24-hour shifts per week, leaving little time for gynecology patients. Add to that the government’s “inadequate” support in recruiting new OB/GYNs, and it’s no wonder the entire group felt they had no choice but to step away.
Now, here’s the controversial question: Is this an isolated incident, or a symptom of a much larger crisis in healthcare staffing? Health Minister Josie Osborne and Interior Health’s Mark Masterson claim they’ve identified 12 OB/GYN candidates and hope to hire up to nine quickly. But in the meantime, locum doctors are being offered a staggering $7,100 per day to fill the gap. Does this temporary fix address the root problem, or simply slap a band-aid on a gaping wound?
This story isn’t just about seven doctors resigning—it’s a wake-up call about the pressures facing healthcare workers everywhere. What do you think? Is this a systemic issue that demands urgent reform, or an unfortunate anomaly? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments below.
