WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Dermatologist did decamp for The Rock
Former Kamloops dermatologist Dr. Christopher Sladden made good on his declaration to leave the city and practise medicine elsewhere.
Sladden, who had shared a dermatology practice with Dr. Richard Lewis, wrote to then-health minister Michael de Jong in April, explaining he was quitting and moving to a province that pays more for the dermatologist services he provides.
He now works in Newfoundland.
At the time of his declaration, Sladden said the fees paid to his specialty in B.C. had stagnated for years and did not adequately account for the cost to run a practice.
For example, Sladden said in April, in diagnosing a cancerous skin growth, he could charge the medical services plan (MSP) $60 for a first consultation and $40 to remove the growth.
The overhead cost for such a procedure is about $40, he said, and the tax on the income would be another $20 to $30, resulting in a net income of about $30 to treat the cancer.
Sladden was also angry the ministry had recommended dermatologists do more Botox treatments to boost their income, saying at the time it was disgraceful of the ministry to advertise a company’s drug that way.
He said he only used the drug to treat medical conditions, not for cosmetic reasons.
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.