A Port Hardy emergency room doctor who was stripped of his emergency room privileges last week says he will say more about the matter at a news conference in Victoria today.
Island Health suspended the ER privileges of Dr. Alex Nataros pending an investigation. Nataros has claimed harassment by Island Health leadership and called for the resignation of Dr. Ben Williams, the vice-president and chief medical officer.
The health authority says Nataros’s privileges were pulled for clinical patient safety concerns, but Nataros said it is because he has been outspoken in criticizing the health authority.
Nataros’s medical duties are restricted to clinic and 10-patient hospital ward work. His week-long ER stint at Lady Minto Hospital on Salt Spring Island, scheduled to start today, has been cancelled.
A meeting to review the reasons behind the restrictions is scheduled for next Wednesday.
Nataros said he has been harassed by Williams, and cites a “cold call” from Williams in mid-January.
Williams said the call was requested, and was an attempt to engage with a new physician “who obviously really cares about the work he does” and diffuse the tension around a directive to Nataros telling him he could no longer bring his dog into the hospital.
Williams said that on Jan. 30, an Island Health patient care and safety leader was alerted to a “very serious” patient complaint that raised concern about Nataros’s ability to safely practise in the ER.
The next day, Williams said, other members of Nataros’s care team outlined concerns related to “several patients.”
A preliminary investigation was launched, and Williams directed medical leaders to meet with Nataros on Feb. 1, two days before his next ER shift, to hear his perspective.
Faced with pulling a physician out of an ER that was already understaffed, Williams said he weighed many factors “but the most important one was patient safety.”
“I determined there is a serious concern for patient safety and have restricted Nataros from working in Island Health emergency departments while a fulsome investigation takes place into all of the concerns raised,” Williams said. “Nataros will have the full opportunity to respond to the concerns.”
Williams said it is only the second time he has invoked such restrictions in three years as chief medical officer.
Health Minister Adrian Dix has expressed “total confidence” in Williams, saying “he’s acting in the best interests of patients in his view.”
Before becoming a family physician, Williams was a ministerial assistant to the NDP Aboriginal affairs minister from December 2000 to June 2001, when the Liberals took office.
Nataros said his criticisms of the health authority leadership are focused on improving patient care and not about himself.
Nataros, who began part-time in the north Island in August and became full-time in November, said he has poured concrete for a home in Port Hardy, has a sailboat and is a deeply embedded member of the community.
“This is living my dream,” said Nataros. “So no, I’m not going anywhere.”
The north Island is grappling with a shortage of staff and physician departures that have led to ongoing overnight and weekend emergency room closures at the Port McNeill and Port Hardy hospitals. Port Hardy Hospital's ER is now closed overnight until more physicians and nurses can be hired while Port McNeill Hospital's ER is open every day and night.
Nataros gained province-wide attention last month when he said he planned to personally hire a physician assistant — a profession not regulated in B.C. — because the departures of the other Port Hardy ER doctors meant he would be on his own as of July 1.
Shortly afterward, the province announced a $30-million plan into place for the recruitment of doctors, nurses and allied health-care workers and to rebuild health care and related facilities in the region.
Port McNeill physician Dr. Prean Armogam, also a critic of what he calls the health authority’s lack of leadership, communication and planning, publicly supported the call for Williams’ resignation.
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