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MAHC ERs and diagnostic services are half the size they should be to handle current volumes: MAHC CEO and president Cheryl Harrison. File photo pictured, Huntsville hospital ER. (Submitted).

Huntsville Councillors to move forward with doctor retention and attraction initiatives in light of the growing number of unattached patients

Huntsville Council gave Councillors Bob Stone and Scott Morrison a green light to investigate ways to attract and retain primary health care providers in Huntsville.

The councillors expressed their frustration with the large number of people in the community who do not have a primary health care provider and that list could grow to an astounding 6,600 people when three Huntsville physicians retire in the next six months, said Stone.

It’s a problem that is impacting the entire country and one that politicians at all levels knew was coming as Canadians age, the population grows and existing primary healthcare providers retire.

According to the Ontario College of Family Physicians, more than four million Ontarians will be without a family doctor by 2026 which will put more stress on hospital emergency rooms.

Stone told fellow councillors that three and a half years ago, former Councillor Brian Thompson and Dr. David Mathies sat in Stone’s living room discussing the issue and he has been part of a Muskoka recruitment task force over the past two years. “That taskforce is doing important work for all of Muskoka and area and that work will absolutely continue,” he said but noted that Morrison had approached him about attracting primary care providers specifically to Huntsville.

“We need to ensure we have stuff like gym memberships, golf memberships, ski passes, and things like that to ensure they are immersed in the community, ” said Morrison, who added that existing models in other communities are also being explored.

The incentive package will aim at not only attracting but also retaining primary care providers in the Huntsville community.

Council directed Town staff to work with the councillors on creating an incentive program for physician recruitment and to report back on their progress at a later date.

On that front, in February funding was announced ahead of the 2024 Ontario Budget which covers the Health Care Clinic at the Annex.  

Janine van den Heuvel, Executive Director of the Algonquin Family Health Team, said the funding is welcomed and will help add another examination room to the clinic which looks after unattached patients, and an administrative support staff person. She said there are plans to try and expand clinic hours to five days per week with the possibility of adding some evening hours as well. The funding will also help expand educational programming for unattached patients.

The funding announcement, funds which van del Heuvel hopes will be ongoing, will help add to the capacity to see unattached patients including in areas like Dorset.

“Unattached patients from Dorset can access care at the Annex clinic. The Dorset Wellness Hub does see some unattached patients and this will add to the overall capacity in Huntsville and the surrounding areas, including Dorset, to provide primary care for patients without a provider, and avoid unnecessary Emergency Room visits,” she explained.

In its 2024 Budget, the Province announced that it plans to build Ontario’s first medical school dedicated to training family physicians at York University, expanding the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) where it says 50 per cent of residency students are studying family medicine, and breaking down barriers for internationally and interprovincially educated healthcare workers to work in Ontario, including the new Practice Ready Ontario Program that is expected to add 50 new physicians this year.

Related:

Council to hear a proposal to try and attract much-needed primary healthcare providers to Huntsville

Ontario says it is investing $110 million to connect up to 328,000 people to primary care teams

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