Kamloops Hospital faces Obstetrics Crisis as All Seven OB/GYNs Resign
A critical shortage of obstetric care in British Columbia has reached a breaking point in Kamloops, where all seven obstetrician-gynecologists at Royal Inland Hospital have resigned from in-hospital care, citing unsustainable workloads, pervasive staff shortages, and insufficient government support.
the mass resignation, detailed in a letter obtained by The Globe and Mail and dated October 11, throws the future of maternity services in the region into uncertainty. The physicians expressed that years of escalating challenges have created an untenable situation, leading to the unprecedented decision to withdraw from in-hospital duties.
“It is fairly unprecedented for an entire group of physicians to depart, but with the state of obstetrics in our community and with the upcoming loss of the [Thompson Region Family Obstetrics] group, we see no viable way forward,” the letter stated. The Thompson Region Family Obstetrics group, responsible for operating Kamloops’ busiest maternity clinic, announced last month it would cease accepting new referrals, as its doctors are increasingly needed to cover critical labor and delivery services at the hospital.
This crisis unfolds against a backdrop of province-wide shortages in OB/GYNs and maternity care providers. Reports indicate that pregnant patients are being forced to travel hundreds of kilometers to access care, while remaining physicians are routinely burdened with extra shifts, increasing the risk of burnout and compromising patient safety. The situation highlights the growing fragility of healthcare access in rural British Columbia, where emergency room closures are becoming increasingly frequent.
The plight of patients facing these challenges was recently illustrated by the story of Danielle Goward, a resident of Williams Lake. In May,goward was transferred between four hospitals – Williams Lake,Kelowna,Prince George,and kamloops – over 12 days to deliver her twins,a harrowing experience that involved three flights and left her feeling “terrifying.”
interior Health, the local health authority, has accepted the resignations. Mark Masterson, vice president of medicine for Interior Health, expressed disappointment regarding the physicians’ decision and stated they did not feel supported. He outlined operational changes implemented to improve conditions,including expanded resources at the Women’s Health Clinic in Kamloops and support for the Ministry of Health in offering “enhanced” contract offers to the OB/GYNs.
Despite the resignations, Interior Health is actively seeking solutions. According to Dr. Masterson, the health authority has identified 12 potential OB/GYN candidates in recent months and aims to expedite the hiring of up to eight or nine physicians to stabilize services. To provide immediate coverage, locums and OB/GYNs from other parts of the province are being offered a daily rate of $7,100, plus overnight premiums.
“We’re definitely seeing shortages of maternity providers throughout the province, and so it requires this full press work of getting in enough of the right providers and supporting them to be efficient and having the tools to do their work,” Dr. Masterson said. “And we realy do think we’ve engaged in a lot of that work, and we’re open to continuing that engagement.”
For now, patients requiring obstetrical care are advised to continue presenting to royal Inland hospital for assessment and triage. The seven resigning OB/GYNs will remain on site during a 90-day notice period to ensure a phased transition of care. If the hospital is unable to meet patient needs, transfers to other facilities will be necessary.
The physicians emphasized their commitment to a carefully coordinated transition, with many continuing to provide outpatient gynecology services locally. Detailed plans for the phased withdrawal of in-hospital care and individual office arrangements will be communicated, and each surgeon will directly contact patients on their waitlists to discuss next steps.
“We are committed to patient safety in this process as our number one priority,” the letter concluded. The situation in Kamloops serves as a stark warning about the escalating challenges facing maternal healthcare in British Columbia and the urgent need for lasting solutions to ensure access to safe and timely care for all expectant mothers.
