Still short of doctors, Woolwich will continue to support a region-wide recruitment effort to bring new physicians to the area.
To that end, the township will contribute $7,500 to the Chamber Health Care Resources Council, the recruitment group launched in 1998 by the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce. The money represents an annual commitment of $1,500 covering 2011 through 2015.
Woolwich has supported the recruitment effort in past years, most recently with a three-year pledge in 2008, but had not been contributing for the past two years, though it continued to take part in the effort, including having delegates at the ‘family medicine resident weekend’ held each year in November, noted chief administrative officer David Brenneman.
The lump-sum payment in essence continues longstanding support of $1,500 per year.
In a presentation to councillors Tuesday night, Al Hayes, chair of the chamber’s family physician liaison task force, said the effort has paid off and will continue to provide dividends.
Since 1998, 150 family physicians have been recruited and the number of people without a family physician in the area has been cut in half, to just over 20,000.
“We have historically recruited three new family physicians each year through this initiative alone,” said Hayes of the residents’ weekend. “Given the success of this year’s weekend and the interest expressed in Kitchener, Waterloo and Woolwich practice opportunities, we expect that number will be even greater,”
Coun. Mark Bauman, who attend last month’s event on behalf of the township, called it a positive experience, saying he enjoyed interacting with the young physicians.
Beyond recruitment, however, he noted there’s a challenge to help young doctors set up a practice as they’re coming out of school with a large amount of debt – a tough time to start their own businesses.
He suggested the effort expand to look at options to help with that, perhaps encouraging private investment.
In Woolwich, recruitment efforts over the past 15 years have brought new doctors to the township, but residents continue to be underserviced based on population. Where the township’s size should see 17 doctors based on the target of one physician for every 1,380 people, there are just 10, said Hayes, noting that changes mean recruitment must be an ongoing effort.
“Despite our past successes, the shortage of family physicians could again increase over the next few years as the impacts of population growth, the retirement of existing physicians and the changing expectations of new medical graduates are realized,” he said.
“While the situation is dramatically better than it was in 1998 when the chamber first became involved, the family physician shortage is not solved. The progress we have realized to date is the direct result of ongoing financial support from the local business community and municipalities, and that continued support is critical to the achievement of our goal.”
