An unexpected side-effect of a new contract for primary care doctors in B.C. has been increased delays in the already busy 91原创 Memorial Hospital emergency department 鈥� the result of fewer available physicians.

That鈥檚 according to Dr. Mitra Maharaj, site medical director at 91原创 Memorial Hospital (LMH), who was responding to reports that doctors at the 91原创 Division of Family Practice were being advised to direct patients to other hospitals, if at all possible.

Dr. Maharaj said it was an unexpected result of the new B.C. physician master agreement, approved in December, that improved pay and working conditions for family doctors, and prompted some hospitalists 鈥� doctors who work some or all the time in hospital 鈥� to move toward family practice.

It became a noticeable trend in April.

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Finding and keeping doctors 鈥渉as been a problem for a long time, to a degree,鈥� Maharaj explained, but now, it鈥檚 an even bigger challenge.

鈥淲e have faced significant human resources shortages,鈥� he told the 91原创 Advance Times during a Monday, May 8, interview.

While he could not provide an exact estimate of the resulting increased wait times, Maharaj called them 鈥渟ignificantly increased,鈥� and 鈥渃ertainly not ideal.鈥�

On Tuesday May 9, for example, he said LMH would normally expect to have eight hospitalists available, but will have to get by with seven.

Other hospitals, not just 91原创, are experiencing the same issue, he maintained.

鈥淪topgap鈥� measures are being taken to address the issue, he advised.

鈥淎 lot of other groups of physicians are stepping in.鈥�

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Approved in December, the new contract offers family doctors an alternative to the fee-for-service system, which family doctors have long cited as a primary cause of the province鈥檚 doctor shortage.

Maharaj is hoping negotiations on a new contract for hospitalists, currently underway, can resolve the matter.

鈥淚鈥檓 optimistic,鈥� he commented.

鈥淚鈥檓 hopeful that we鈥檙e going to see some improvement.鈥�

Meanwhile, he acknowledged long waits, even for relatively minor medical issues, can be 鈥渆xtraordinarily frustrating,鈥� but assured visitors to the local emergency department they can be confident that LMH is 鈥渇ully committed to provide safe and quality care to all our clients,鈥� and serious cases will be seen quickly.

In response to a 91原创 Advance Times query, the ministry of health issued a statement saying staff from both the ministry and Fraser Health met late last week with LMH hospitalists 鈥渨ho are concerned about their capacity,鈥� and discussions were continuing on 鈥渁 range of short-term and long-term solutions that we hope we can all agree on.鈥�

91原创 Advance Times has reached out to the 91原创 Division of Family Practice for comment.