LAURIE WEIR
How can Smiths Falls recruit more family physicians?
That was the question posed by Coun. Chris McGuire to Carlene MacDonald, Physician Recruiter, Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital, during a regular meeting of Smiths Falls council on Monday, Oct. 28.
Get them to come for an elective, MacDonald suggested, and “have them get to know the community and stay.”
McGuire asked about accelerating recruitment, or investing more into the process, and what the next steps be.
Financial incentives, MacDonald suggested. In Quinte/Belleville, for example, they have a $150,000 bonus with a return of service agreement over five years, “and they’ve been very successful,” she said.
Over the past decade, the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital recruitment program has brought in 17 family physicians. However, the community faces challenges, as five physicians have retired and seven have relocated, resulting in a net gain of only five family physicians. Currently, no family physicians in the area are accepting new patients, highlighting the ongoing demand for medical care in the community, MacDonald shared.
The recruitment program has been active, averaging eight inquiries each month and hosting four site visits annually to attract potential candidates. This year, it also welcomed six medical students for clinical electives, providing valuable hands-on experience in local practices.
Smiths Falls participates in the Eastern Ontario Regional Medical Education program, engaging in Community Week every May to further promote the area to aspiring medical professionals.
Recruitment efforts recently included participation in several career events, such as the Quebec Residents Federation Career Day in Montreal and the University of Ottawa Career Day, where new connections were established with prospective physicians.
In addition to family medicine, the program is also focused on recruiting specialists. Since 2016, Smiths Falls has successfully brought on board 21 hospitalists, although the community currently has only nine, with ongoing efforts to fill 12 vacant positions. In the field of obstetrics and gynecology, there is an active search for two additional physicians, alongside the recent recruitment of a full-time midwife.
The recruitment of internists has been another area of focus, with three having joined the team since 2014.
In psychiatry, two new psychiatrists have been successfully recruited to replace retiring physicians.
The Smiths Falls Physician Recruitment Program is looking to fill a number of key vacancies by next year. This includes two to three family medicine positions, two obstetricians, one radiologist, two emergency medicine physicians, two internal medicine specialists, and two hospitalists. A full-time midwife was recruited last month with a GI specialist to join next summer.
