‘These are life and death situations’: VGH begins diversions for pregnant trauma patients

The wave of patient diversions affecting many parts of B.C. has now arrived at the province’s largest hospital.

Patient diversions are now hitting B.C.’s largest hospital.

As of Saturday, CTV News has learned that Vancouver General Hospital began diverting obstetrical care for patients who are over 20 weeks pregnant to other hospitals.

In a statement on Tuesday, Vancouver Coastal Health said VGH previously relied on on-call obstetrics coverage by obstetricians based at other hospital sites.

“In the interim, VGH has made arrangements to provide emergency care for people over 20 weeks pregnant to ensure services are delivered in the safest way possible,” wrote VCH.

The health authority went on to say that from end of 2023 until now, approximately one pregnant patient over 20 weeks gestation visited VGH for emergency care per month that required a transfer to another hospital for obstetrical care.

If a patient is needing care during this period, VCH says they will be stabilized and may be transferred to St. Paul’s Hospital, Lions Gate Hospital or Royal Columbian Hospital.

Dr. Robert Carruthers, president of Consultant Specialists of B.C., explained to CTV News that being transferred to another hospital is dangerous and should be avoided.

“These are life and death situations, and this is not something that anyone in your family should have to deal with,” said Carruthers.

He says the recent wave of hospital diversions is a sign of a system in decline.

“It’s now impacting one of the most capable hospitals in the whole province,” Carruthers said.

B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne addressed the VGH diversion on Tuesday, echoing VCH’s claim of the rarity of the need for the service but said there is a plan in place in the case a pregnant patient who is over 20 weeks suffers trauma and needs obstetrical care.

Osborne says there are issues across different parts of B.C. regarding the lack of OBGYN’s and the province is working towards stabilizing services by recruiting more specialists and train more doctors.

B.C.’s health critic Anna Kindy called the VGH diversion “shocking” and believes it could have been avoided, claiming the province knew about the potential diversions for a year.

“This should have been fixed and it wasn’t, and now we’re putting women’s lives and their babies at risk,” said Kindy.

The B.C. Greens are concerned the time to divert patients to other hospitals puts them at risk.

West Vancouver Sea to Sky MLA Jeremy Valeriote says it’s crucial to both attract doctors from outside of B.C. but also retain the ones that are currently employed, as he fears many are burnt out.

VCH is asking those who are pregnant and need emergency care to call 911 where B.C. Emergency Health Services will automatically send an ambulance to one of the three identified hospitals, without any need for action on the patient’s part.