Hospitals in rural Ontario may face more emergency room closures as a temporary program helping to keep them open has ended.
The Ontario Medical Association and the Ministry of Health are in talks to create a permanent solution, but no agreement was in place when the program expired Monday.
The Temporary Locum Program offered extra pay to doctors to cover emergency shifts, helping prevent ER closures. Some hospitals may still get funding for doctor coverage, but it is unclear if it will match previous support.
Dr. Angela Marrocco, who leads the Ontario Medical Association’s emergency medicine section, says hospitals have relied on the program as a lifeline. With no replacement in place, some doctors may reduce their shifts, raising concerns as hospitals enter a busy season.
The Ontario government says hospitals can continue scheduling physician coverage while it works to transition the temporary program into a permanent one.