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Ilunter has role Santa, Mrs. 'Clatis 'i in Chinese emu ea rn Whtby iustry page 4 award page 17 Parae c. 7 e*1lOam nd t y 17 P adSee ag2 for route :4mn Hospital .could lose al GPs Deal offered to get doctors back By Mike KowaIsid Whltby General Hospital could soon be ieft without any family physicians on~ its roster of doctors. Pending the outcome of a meeting with hospital offi- ciais yesterday (iuesday) there may not be any local gnrlpractitioners wil- .nera1 carry 'privilegesat Whitby General.--v However, officiaIis are confident that proposed changes in the egulations governing doctors' prîvi- lege and more money will convince enough physicians flot to cut their ties with the hospital. Hot on the heels of last month's decision by eigt faiydoctors at it Whitby Cinic to withdraw their services from the hos- pital, the remaining 28 general practitioners affi- liated with Whitby Generai have followed suit. Citing increased work- loads among other reasons the doctors recently notifli< the hospital board of direc- tors that they do not intend to renew their privile" Aithough chair Cahaine Tunney was emphatic that the hospital has not been thrust into an emergency situation by the dotors' action, board members last week endorsed two resolu- tions aimed at rectiifing the problem as soon as pas- sible. Acting on a suggstion from medical staf pre- sident Dr. Naresh Kumar, the board wilI attempt ta enlist 10 family physicians ta provide services on an on-cail basis in return for a * ee. Although the amount has yet ta be negotiated, Tun- ney said the -board is look- ing at a figure of $10 par hour. Currently, there is no additional fee for doctors being on cail. Ini addition, the board is prepared ta change the rules regarding «oeurtesly priviieges,' Tunney said. Doctors would- be allowed ta continue. treating their own patients but would no 1longer be required ta be on tcali. 1 Stressing that it is stili uncertain how many.of the Ldoctars will follow through with their plans, Tunney was "very hopefulý that the board's proposai wilI be accepted. She noted that chief of staff Dr. Mark Mason recently attended a meet- ing with his counterparts fom acrose Ontario and learned that the situation now faeing Whitby General is typicai af'smalier hospi- tais. With fewer doctars fromn which ta draw, physicians can expect ta be an cal more frequently at Whitby General than Oshawa General Hospital, for exam- ple Tunney said.wsno the doctors' sole complaint, she admitted. «They were havinq ta care for emergency patients who didn't have their own doctars,» explained Tunney. "The; were also having ta, respond ta inpatient emergencies at night,» she said. "It was not a significant number, but it was occur- ring." In addition on-cali physi- cians have Liad ta aocca- sionally iend a hand in the emerqency department when it became too bus y for the solitary doctor on duty, Tunney said. While optimistic that an agreement can be reached with the doctars, Tunney said it will be uback ta the drawing board" should Tuesday's session prove futile. Kumar, a cardiologist and internai medicine ape cialist, did not know what ta, expect from the meeting qI think, you know tg h e answer already,» hie replied when asked what will hap- pan should the doctars refuse the board's offer. *ÀII Whitby physicians, Mad-caps STOR VIELLER, author and illustrator Cathy at St.'John the Evangelist School's reent Miyata had parents -and students alike particl- reading night. pating in a liveIy blend of storyelling and theatre Phioto by Mark Reesor, WNhy Free Press 04