Chronic Doctor Shortage in Cape Breton - Election Issue?

goCapeBreton.com Team Follow Me

Posted this 2015-06-29 11:29 AM ADT (updated 2015-09-14 5:03 PM ADT)

Cape Breton has a chronic shortage of family physicians and specialists. Follow the link above to listen the podcast from CBC's Information Morning.

Considering the unmet demand for family doctors, a new GP could set up office and have a full practice in a week. So why are we unable to attract physicians to Cape Breton? And how is the provincial government going to address this chronic problem?

Tell us about your experience trying to find a family doctor by posting a comment below.

CANDIDATES: Please tell us how you plan to address this issue.

http://www.cbc.ca/informationmorningcb/2015/06/29/doctor-shortage-1/

Posted by goCapeBreton.com Team
Receive news by email and share your news and events for free on goCapeBreton.com
SHOW ME HOW

Cape Bretoners: Heal thyselves ?! Cape Breton has a shortage of family doctors. How can we attract more GPs to the area? Add your thoughts below.

Depth
Joe Ward Follow Me 2015-06-29 8:07 PM ADT Reply 0 0 What does an average family practitioner make per year in salary? How many more doctors would we need to beat the best province for general practitioner coverage (i.e. on a regional basis for Cape Breton)? How much of a bonus would be compelling enough to encourage doctors to come to this region? Question: If we had 10,000 citizens pay $25 each per month, could we not add 10 new doctors by giving them a $250,000 a year bonus over what they already receive? We can't really build a retirement economy if we don't have sufficient doctors. Even for those that have doctors, the quality of their care is going to decline if their doctor is overworked or has to speed through patient visits in order to get everyone in to see them. I don't have a doctor. I have near zero interest in going to a clinic, and when I go to emergency it's certainly going to be nothing less than an emergency. So I'm playing with fire with my health. While I'm going to be accountable for that, the region is still disincentivizing me. Rationally, the absolute best decision for people like me is to move away from here. Reality is: leaving is an overwhelming strategically warranted response to regional issues. That said, what strategies could we take on to go from desperate to having an advantage over other regions in this category? Richard Lorway Follow Me 2015-06-30 10:59 AM ADT Reply 1 0 I don't believe that doctors with practices have a fixed "salary," but rather that they bill the province for each procedure provided to patients that they see each and every day. I.e. their income is tied to the number of patients and types of procedures. This is my understanding and somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. So if you set up in an area where demand exceeds supply, you can have a full practice in a week. A new GP just came to Sydney recently, and she was full in 2 days (or so the rumour goes). Vs. setting up in a community with lots of doctors and taking some time to build up your practice. Ergo, the challenge doesn't appear to be economic. So then what is it? Joe Ward Follow Me 2015-06-30 11:20 AM ADT Reply 0 0 I have some confusion about that part. I was sure I saw some kind of job posting in recent months that listed a salary. However, up until then, I was also under the impression they were compensated by billing for services. Ultimately, why would a doctor want to live in Cape Breton? If they are not motivated simply by the offer of scenic vistas, people who desperately need them, and the potential for being overworked... what else builds a compelling value proposition that will "sell them" on living and working here? Unless they are from here, I can't imagine why a young doctor would want to come here. With their income levels, they can live great lives anywhere. What if it turns out that East Side Mario's is the #1 most important factor for where doctors decide to live? Oops. Kidding. I'm just bitter than I can't get breakfast at iHop. ;) Mathew Georghiou Follow Me 2015-06-30 11:27 AM ADT Reply 2 0 Convincing the SPOUSE to come to Cape Breton is one of the biggest challenges that I have heard. I believe there is a team of people who do recruiting, so I'm sure they would know the challenges quite well ... not sure if they share them publicly or not. Joe Ward Follow Me 2015-06-30 11:33 AM ADT Reply 1 0 VERY good point. They might need to structure recruitment more like the Bachelor or Bachelorette for single young doctors in a joint program with Ascendo, YMCA, Moxham Fitness, Sweeney's, Crossfit Jono, and John Robert Powers. Lure them in and lock them down here with partners that are already here and don't want to leave. Kidding. 2nd cup of coffee here. :P #AllWeNeedIsLoveDoc Mathew Georghiou Follow Me 2015-06-30 12:07 PM ADT Reply 0 0 One of the benefits of goCapeBreton.com is that it can provide newcomers a more thorough overview of our community and the good things it has to offer. madeline yakimchuk Follow Me 2015-06-30 10:12 PM ADT Reply 1 0 I think it is a great idea, seriously. We are not friendly to newcomers. We smile and say hi on the street, but we don't let them join the club. I imagine that spouses are a big factor, and marrying a local would be the only way to keep them. Joe Ward Follow Me 2015-07-01 12:32 AM ADT Reply 1 0 I agree. It actually would be a real factor. In fact, I tend to be very honest with people - whether or not that's a good idea. The reality is: I'd much rather be living back in Tampa, Florida. I love it there. And I can quality for a TN1 visa instantly at the border with a job offer in hand. So why am I here again in Cape Breton? My first nephew was born in April 2014. Given that I haven't been able to convince (or figure out how to get) my family to join me south of the border, my choice was to come here. And I now have an amazing girlfriend with family and strong ties to Cape Breton that would make it very challenging for me to steal her away. So that will certainly have the effect of keeping me rooted in Cape Breton. It was not any competitive advantage that Cape Breton itself possessed that brought me here. I don't see any clear advantages beyond my family being here. For doctors who probably have even greater opportunities than my career field (Web software), why would they come here? If we can manage to get anyone here for any length of time, we need to figure out how to root them here. And, all joking aside, developing personal relationships is one such way. And one that will more or less happen organically.

Depth

Joe Ward Follow Me 2015-06-29 8:07 PM ADT

Reply 0 0

What does an average family practitioner make per year in salary? How many more doctors would we need to beat the best province for general practitioner coverage (i.e. on a regional basis for Cape Breton)? How much of a bonus would be compelling enough to encourage doctors to come to this region? Question: If we had 10,000 citizens pay $25 each per month, could we not add 10 new doctors by giving them a $250,000 a year bonus over what they already receive? We can't really build a retirement economy if we don't have sufficient doctors. Even for those that have doctors, the quality of their care is going to decline if their doctor is overworked or has to speed through patient visits in order to get everyone in to see them. I don't have a doctor. I have near zero interest in going to a clinic, and when I go to emergency it's certainly going to be nothing less than an emergency. So I'm playing with fire with my health. While I'm going to be accountable for that, the region is still disincentivizing me. Rationally, the absolute best decision for people like me is to move away from here. Reality is: leaving is an overwhelming strategically warranted response to regional issues. That said, what strategies could we take on to go from desperate to having an advantage over other regions in this category?

Richard Lorway Follow Me 2015-06-30 10:59 AM ADT

Reply 1 0

I don't believe that doctors with practices have a fixed "salary," but rather that they bill the province for each procedure provided to patients that they see each and every day. I.e. their income is tied to the number of patients and types of procedures. This is my understanding and somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. So if you set up in an area where demand exceeds supply, you can have a full practice in a week. A new GP just came to Sydney recently, and she was full in 2 days (or so the rumour goes). Vs. setting up in a community with lots of doctors and taking some time to build up your practice. Ergo, the challenge doesn't appear to be economic. So then what is it?

Joe Ward Follow Me 2015-06-30 11:20 AM ADT

Reply 0 0

I have some confusion about that part. I was sure I saw some kind of job posting in recent months that listed a salary. However, up until then, I was also under the impression they were compensated by billing for services. Ultimately, why would a doctor want to live in Cape Breton? If they are not motivated simply by the offer of scenic vistas, people who desperately need them, and the potential for being overworked... what else builds a compelling value proposition that will "sell them" on living and working here? Unless they are from here, I can't imagine why a young doctor would want to come here. With their income levels, they can live great lives anywhere. What if it turns out that East Side Mario's is the #1 most important factor for where doctors decide to live? Oops. Kidding. I'm just bitter than I can't get breakfast at iHop. ;)

Mathew Georghiou Follow Me 2015-06-30 11:27 AM ADT

Reply 2 0

Convincing the SPOUSE to come to Cape Breton is one of the biggest challenges that I have heard. I believe there is a team of people who do recruiting, so I'm sure they would know the challenges quite well ... not sure if they share them publicly or not.

Joe Ward Follow Me 2015-06-30 11:33 AM ADT

Reply 1 0

VERY good point. They might need to structure recruitment more like the Bachelor or Bachelorette for single young doctors in a joint program with Ascendo, YMCA, Moxham Fitness, Sweeney's, Crossfit Jono, and John Robert Powers. Lure them in and lock them down here with partners that are already here and don't want to leave. Kidding. 2nd cup of coffee here. :P #AllWeNeedIsLoveDoc

Mathew Georghiou Follow Me 2015-06-30 12:07 PM ADT

Reply 0 0

One of the benefits of goCapeBreton.com is that it can provide newcomers a more thorough overview of our community and the good things it has to offer.

madeline yakimchuk Follow Me 2015-06-30 10:12 PM ADT

Reply 1 0

I think it is a great idea, seriously. We are not friendly to newcomers. We smile and say hi on the street, but we don't let them join the club. I imagine that spouses are a big factor, and marrying a local would be the only way to keep them.

Joe Ward Follow Me 2015-07-01 12:32 AM ADT

Reply 1 0

I agree. It actually would be a real factor. In fact, I tend to be very honest with people - whether or not that's a good idea. The reality is: I'd much rather be living back in Tampa, Florida. I love it there. And I can quality for a TN1 visa instantly at the border with a job offer in hand. So why am I here again in Cape Breton? My first nephew was born in April 2014. Given that I haven't been able to convince (or figure out how to get) my family to join me south of the border, my choice was to come here. And I now have an amazing girlfriend with family and strong ties to Cape Breton that would make it very challenging for me to steal her away. So that will certainly have the effect of keeping me rooted in Cape Breton. It was not any competitive advantage that Cape Breton itself possessed that brought me here. I don't see any clear advantages beyond my family being here. For doctors who probably have even greater opportunities than my career field (Web software), why would they come here? If we can manage to get anyone here for any length of time, we need to figure out how to root them here. And, all joking aside, developing personal relationships is one such way. And one that will more or less happen organically.

goCapeBreton.com

Chronic Doctor Shortage in Cape Breton - Election Issue?

8

Facebook Comments

More Posts by goCapeBreton.com Team

Featured Posts

More Posts Under