Leslie Ashton Letter to the Editor
Needless Costs
The Ottawa Citizen Thursday, November 27, 2003
Re: Midwifery service was not reduced, Nov. 22.
In response to the letter from Dr. Jack Kitts, the president and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital, as long as there are women on waiting lists for midwifery care in the Ottawa area, the services of additional midwives in this city are acutely needed.
Most individuals do not realize that midwives without hospital privileges are unable to practise midwifery in Ontario (no pre- or post-partum care, no homebirths).
By failing to renew privileges for midwives, The Ottawa Hospital is needlessly increasing costs to taxpayers. Women unable to access midwifery care will be forced to seek medical care at increased costs to taxpayers, since physician-attended deliveries cost $1,000 more than midwife-attended births. These midwives, out of work, will be collecting employment insurance benefits at taxpayers’ expense.
I am unable to comprehend how failing to renew hospital privileges for three midwives will increase funding to other areas of health care.
There is a conflict of interest in a physician allocating hospital privileges when such a decision will financially benefit physician colleagues. Where is the accountability to the taxpaying consumer?
Leslie Ashton,
RN, Ottawa