The following article appeared in the January 19 edition of the Guelph Mercury:
For much of the past decade, Queen’s Park considered Guelph underserviced because of a shortage of family doctors. Now, the tables have turned and there are too few patients, with physicians actively recruiting.
“There’s been a shortage for quite a while: I would say six or nine months,” Guelph-Wellington Physician Recruitment & Retention Committee chair Ian Smith said Monday.
City Coun. Ian Findlay is among those curious about the phenomenon.
“It’s unfortunate we’re having a bit of a patient shortage,” Findlay said, seeing it as at least in part the city experiencing growing pains. He described it as a livable community that’s attracting new residents, though he also praised Smith’s active group for bringing doctors here.
“Credit does go to the physician recruitment committee; they’ve done an excellent job,” Findlay said. “We’re flush with doctors at the moment.”
The healers include Dr. Helen Song, one of three health professionals accepting new patients at the Yarmouth Medical Group downtown. She’s a family physician from China who came here the year before last and is building a practise.
Song, among doctors who could not be reached for comment yesterday, said last summer she’s looking for about 1,400 patients. That coincides with what the province considers a full practice.
Smith cited several factors converging to provide this embarrassment or riches in number of physicians, including the success of his committee and the attractiveness of the Royal City’s amenities.
“We’ve brought in a lot of new doctors,” said Smith, adding the number’s climbed to a Guelph roster of 93.
“We’ve only got four official vacancies.” Ninety-seven would no longer make the city underserviced in the eyes of the provincial government.
Secondly, the Guelph General Hospital has also been able to attract a greater number of hospitalists, staff doctors working with patients who don’t have their own family physicians, Smith said.
Further, local clinics have been hiring nurse practitioners to do some of the more routine work physicians used to do, he continued. As well, family health teams have been expanding and now comprise 42 doctors in a variety of locations.
In another development, Queen’s Park is allowing increasing numbers of international medical graduates to practise here. Smith said he’s take quite a few on tours of Guelph in recent months.
Adding to the situation is the fact that while Guelph is a mecca for people moving to the city from surrounding areas like Mississauga, some of these new residents are retaining the doctors they’ve had, even if it means commuting to see them, Smith said.
In another twist, Smith said some doctors may be somewhat selective with patients, to build well-rounded practices with a wide range of people. He doesn’t think that’s common, though.
“I’m certainly not hearing too many people being turned away.”
In fact, Smith said it is patients who have the advantage with doctors eager to accept new ones.
“We’re trying to get the word out to people,” Smith said. “They can almost pick and choose who they want.”
Smith said Guelph should count its blessing that it now has a good supply of family physicians. “A lot of cities are still short. We’re in pretty good shape.”
More information about doctors seeking patients is on the website: www.guelph.ca/doctor.