Expectant parents in British Columbia are facing potential maternity diversions due to a temporary shortage of obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYN) at two hospitals under the Fraser Health Authority. On select dates during the holiday season, patients anticipating childbirth at Peace Arch Hospital and Ridge Meadows Hospital may be redirected to other maternity facilities in the region.
Dr. Darren Lazare, the regional department head for obstetrics and gynecology at Fraser Health, highlighted that Peace Arch Hospital is currently operating with only three OB/GYNs, half the number required to meet patient demand. “We need a complement of six,” Lazare stated, explaining that this situation has arisen due to retirements and other departures within the staff.
Wider Impact of Staffing Shortages
This shortage is not an isolated incident. Dr. Lazare pointed out that hospitals across the Lower Mainland, as well as the province and the country, are grappling with similar challenges. “We have a shortage of physicians, we have a shortage of midwives, we have a shortage of nurses across the whole spectrum of healthcare,” he said.
The urgency of the situation escalated in October when 128 OB/GYNs from various regions in B.C. signed an open letter warning that the province was nearing a crisis in maternity healthcare. This warning followed the resignation of the entire OB/GYN department at Kamloops’ Royal Inland Hospital, raising alarms about the sustainability of maternity services in the area.
The diversion of maternity patients from Peace Arch began on December 7, 2023, at 08:00 and is expected to last until December 10, 2023, at 08:00. While the exact timing for any potential diversion at Ridge Meadows Hospital remains uncertain, Dr. Lazare noted that these schedules are dynamic and could change based on staffing developments.
Efforts to Address the Shortage
Fraser Health is actively working to recruit additional OB/GYNs to alleviate the staffing crisis. Dr. Lazare mentioned that one new physician has been hired and is anticipated to start at Peace Arch in the spring of 2026. The health authority has utilized avenues such as Health Match BC and targeted advertisements in medical publications to attract potential candidates.
Fraser Health is committed to ensuring that expectant parents receive the care they need despite these challenges. The organization is closely monitoring the situation and continues to seek solutions to mitigate the impact of the ongoing OB/GYN shortage on maternity services.
Further details regarding the diversion dates at Ridge Meadows Hospital are being sought from Fraser Health, as the situation continues to develop.
