TRAIL, B.C. - Surgeons at a Trail, B.C., hospital have come up with a unique response to operating room closures in their southeastern B.C. community.
They plan to pay the salaries of operating room staff at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital, in hopes of heading off the planned closure of one OR suite.
Doctor Michael Hjekren says one of four operating rooms at the hospital is expected to be shut down Mar. 8.
He says that would force postponement of scheduled surgeries, so doctors decided to keep the operating room running by footing the bill for staff salaries.
Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital is funded by the Interior Health Authority and Hjekren says physicians in Trail are still awaiting IHA's response to their plan.
?? The Canadian Press, 2010