Editor:
This is in response to the recent article, Doctor Shortage the Norm.
Does the Williams Lake community have a voice in who is recruited for the doctor shortage?
It is curious to me why Williams Lake does not widen the focus to also include recruiting more family, adult and pediatric nurse practitioners.
As I understand, in B.C., some of the qualifications of nurse practitioners include:
1.) Diagnosis and treatment of disease and emphasis in prevention of disease and injury.
2.) Ordering diagnostic services, eg.: lab work, X-rays and ultrasounds.
3.) Prescribing medication as outlined in the BC Pharmacists Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act.
Recruiting more nurse practitioners could fill some of the medical clinic shortage of doctors.
They could also make it possible to have a walk-in clinic with full-time staff for regular and after hours service in the downtown core.
This could reduce the number of patients seen in the emergency room of the hospital.
This could also help with the number of people in Williams Lake that don’t have a family doctor.
Lastly, this could reduce the cost of health care in the Williams Lake area.
Something to think about.
Shari Jacobson
Williams Lake