Physician Recruitment program gets top marks

Halton Region’s Physician Recruitment program has attracted and retained an impressive number of physicians. Since 2003, the program has helped bring over 130 new family doctors to Halton. In addition, several family physicians have been recruited to cover long term locums, such as maternity leaves, and several other new family physicians have established part time practices in the area. To see a list of newly recruited doctors who are accepting patients across Halton, visit www.halton.ca/newphysicians.

“The Physician Recruitment program addresses the issue of family medicine physician recruitment, ensuring the delivery of effective health services to Halton residents today and in the future,” said Gary Carr, Halton Regional Chair. “The program has enjoyed tremendous success: over 20 family physicians have established their practice in Halton over the past year.”

The program’s success is a direct result of a collaborative approach to physician recruitment that involves all four Local Municipalities, physicians, local hospitals, clinics and community representatives. “Physicians who visit Halton comment on the collegial atmosphere and the professional and coordinated approach to recruitment,” added Chair Carr.

An increased patient demand, an ageing population, planned physician retirement, changing physician practice patterns and a projected population growth in Halton of 25 per cent by 2019, mean that the need for new physicians will continue.

Recent changes by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care bode well for the program. All four of Halton’s Local Municipalities meet the eligible community criteria for the Ministry’s Postgraduate Return of Service Program (ROS Program). The Program enables communities to recruit international medical graduates who completed their medical degree outside Canada and who are receiving their postgraduate residency training in an Ontario medical school.

These physicians are able to fulfil their ROS in eligible communities across the province, including Halton.

According to Halton Region’s Physician Recruitment Coordinator, Angela Sugden-Praysner, “Over 50 per cent of all new family physicians recruited to Halton in the past three years are physicians who trained internationally and who have a ROS to fulfil. Maintaining access to this pool of available physicians is an important part of physician recruitment in Halton.”

The program continues to support the Halton McMaster Family Health Centre family medicine teaching unit, which opened in May 2010. The Centre will have six family medicine residents in July 2011, with an anticipated 10 to 12 in subsequent years. Training will take place in Burlington, Oakville and Milton. The Physician Recruitment program also provides on-going support, along with the Town of Halton Hills, to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) funded Nurse Practitioner program at the Acton Medical Clinic.

An award winning marketing and promotion strategy for the Physician Recruitment program includes, among other things, community tours and physician meetings for prospective family physicians, a website – www.haltondoctors.ca – participation in trade shows, recruiting events and an advertising campaign. Next year’s campaign also includes sponsorship of Docs on Ice, an annual fundraising doctors’ hockey tournament.

Support Our Sponsors