Yukon Hospital Corp. takes over Watson Lake hospital

The Yukon Hospital Corp., which runs the Whitehorse General Hospital, is taking over the hospital in Watson Lake, Yukon, on a 13-month trial basis.

Corporation chairman Craig Tuton announced Thursday that it will take over operations at the 12-bed Watson Lake hospital from the Yukon Health Department during the trial period.

"It's intended to give all of the parties some additional time to see if this, in fact, this is the right fit and right move for both the community, the government, the minister's department and, most of all, for the corporation and the staff of the hospital," Tuton told reporters in Whitehorse on Thursday.

Tuton said there has been no problem with the level of health care in Watson Lake, but added the corporation can look at ways to better meet the community's expectations.

He added that the corporation is also looking at the Yukon's long-term health-care needs.

For example, the Whitehorse hospital currently has 49 acute-care beds, and Tuton said more will be needed as Yukoners age.

"We need to look at options outside of Whitehorse General Hospital to provide that acute care," he said.

"When you look at Watson Lake, it's situated perfectly, because it's at the doorstep of Yukon. I mean, there's two highway accesses, there's a number of are potential mines that are looking at opening up in the very near future, and they will require the services."

Some health-care workers in Watson Lake have raised concerns about the Yukon Hospital Corp. taking over their hospital, but Tuton said the corporation has already gone a long way to ease those worries.