June 17, 1998
COLLEGE MONITORING DOCTORS' JOB ACTIONGOVERNING BODY CONCERNED ABOUT EFFECT ON PATIENTS
"We made it very clear we don't want patients used as pawns," said college registrar Dr. Larry Ohlhauser. "We have concerns if it goes beyond inconvenience and affects patient care." The Alberta Section of Rural Physicians decided Monday to escalate its struggle to be paid $21 an hour for emergency on-call services with a second one-day walkout on June 25. Dr. Peter Lindsay, president of the organization, said this time each location will decide what degree of emergency treatment will be available that day. The rural docs can choose from several job actions, he said. One option is to treat only legitimate emergency patients and refer others to a nurse or tell them to make an appointment for another day. Another option is to see anyone requiring medical care - jamming up the system, he said. Ohlhauser said the college has asked for a detailed plan from the rural doctors of their intentions. He said he's confident the doctors will comply. Lindsay said the only contact he's had with the governing body is when he called and spoke to the assistant registrar yesterday after he heard about the college's concerns. He said the only advice he was given was to ensure patients were not hurt by the job action. Meanwhile, the Alberta Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is due to meet with the college tomorrow to ensure its job action isn't hurting patient care. The province's obstetricians have refused to see new patients since May 15. They started keeping patients in hospital longer last Thursday in an attempt to get a pay hike. Next Story: MACFIE FILES NOTICE OF APPEAL Previous Story: 20,000 SIGNATURES NEEDED FOR VLT LOBBY
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