Saskatchewan’s only pediatric gastroenterologist left the province last week, leaving parents uncertain about how they will navigate their children’s complex gastrointestinal (GI) issues.
“It’s heartbreaking to see your child in pain and nowhere to turn,” said Dean Fleck, whose 13-year-old son Mason requires monthly infusions for Crohn’s disease.
Fleck said he feels overwhelmed and worries about the lack of ongoing care and oversight for his son. The family has been traveling from Regina to Saskatoon every four weeks, but now they are unsure what to do.
“I really haven’t heard exactly how things are going to go, and I don’t think the nurses know either. It feels like there’s nobody around.”
Fleck said he also worries about Mason facing health problems that may require follow-up, as Crohn’s disease is a lifelong chronic condition and there is now no local specialist available.
“Growing up, when I became a parent, I always assumed that when you had a kid, there’d be a system in place to help them when they got sick,” Fleck said. “I’m learning lately that’s not actually true, that your kid can get severely ill and need help and not get it.”
He said he feels hopeless and that nobody in the government is listening or helping his family navigate the situation.
Fleck added that he would like to see the government work with doctors in the province, and find a way to retain and support them.
“I never saw a lot of support for the GI specialist from the government when she was working,” he said. “I think she got to the point where she just couldn’t handle it anymore. I don’t blame her at all. She’s only human. She’s one person, she can’t do it all.”
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) previously confirmed to CBC that Dr. Simone Nicol, the last pediatric gastroenterologist in the province, would be closing her practice in Saskatchewan as of May 12. The SHA would not give further specifics “due to privacy legislation.”
CBC News has been unable to reach Nicol. A previous attempt to reach her was referred to the health authority.
Taking matters into their own hands
When Lindsey Englot’s six-year-old daughter Paisley was diagnosed with inflammatory bowel syndrome, the family faced an uphill battle in Saskatchewan’s health-care system.
Paisley was on a wait-list for 18 months, even though Saskatchewan still had a pediatric gastroenterologist at the time. After exhausting all other options, Englot and her partner made the difficult decision to seek treatment for Paisley outside the country. In 2019, they traveled to Rochester, N.Y., for the much-needed care.
The total bill at the clinic for Paisley’s treatment was more than $42,000, a financial burden that Englot and her partner had to bear.
While Paisley is currently not in need of day-to-day care, any future issues or follow-ups will require them to once again leave the province.
Englot said she felt defeated having to be away from other family members for weeks so her daughter could receive care that should be available in the province.
“You’re supposed to be able to have health care. Whether it’s for your kids or for yourself, you’re supposed to be able to have health care, and in my opinion waiting an unrealistic amount of time for testing and treatment is not considered health care.”
Englot wants to see the government step up with funding and have not just one, but more than one of the specialists, so that they don’t burn out and leave the province.
“The doctors feel like they’re letting people down, not providing health care because they can’t see you in a timely manner,” she said. “They need to pay our doctors accordingly so that they’ll stay in Saskatchewan.”
Pediatrician’s perspective
Mahli Brindamour, a pediatrician in Saskatchwan, said the impact of not having a pediatric gastroenterologist is huge because the work they do can’t be replaced by anyone.
“I’m scared that I won’t be able to provide the best possible care to the children who come and see me, and philosophically, this is extremely scary as a physician,” Brindamour said.
She said that while the pediatric department will try to provide the best care it can, problems can arise when there are complex issues and no specialist in that area.
“We’re there to always provide care, not to let people fall between cracks, and when I know what the standard of care is and I can’t provide it, It’s a moral injury,” Brindamour said.
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