Though the doctor situation in Estevan is still imperfect, optimism remains high for those charged with bringing new physicians into the fold.
What the local health committee isn't short of is recruitment tools and avenues that present lots of options to seek out new doctors. One in particular that helps connect the area to an international pool of doctors is the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA), a provincial program that assess international medical graduates on their medical education and clinical ability before allowing them to practise medicine in the province. The program began in 2011 and Estevan has recruited three physicians through the initiative.
Greg Hoffort, the St. Joseph Hospital's executive director, noted it isn't just doctors in Estevan, but new recruits in the surrounding rural areas that help share the load so well.
Another 25 doctors are moving onto the clinical assessment phase this September, and while none of those are destined for Estevan, Hoffort said they are hoping to have a new doctor enter the assessment phase this coming January, when the next SIPPA round begins.
"It has certainly been of benefit to us and the Sun Country Health Region," said Hoffort. "It has provided three doctors to us thus far. It's identifying doctors from other countries and putting them through pretty extensive training to make sure they're ready to practise in Canada. We've been fortunate that our doctors who have entered the program have all successfully completed it."
He added that the results elsewhere in Sun Country clinics has almost been as big of a help as the ones recruited into Estevan.
"We see now, doctors from this program heading to the Arcolas and Oxbows and Carlyles. That is great news for our region, and it's good news for St. Joseph's Hospital, because when they're without physicians or low in physicians, it affects the services they provide and impacts the services we provide. When (patients) can't get their services in their hometown, they come here," said Hoffort.
The local health committee also offers incentives and welcoming packages to help ensure the transition is smooth for the doctors coming into Estevan.
"It's certainly a new channel since 2011 that wasn't previously available. It has opened the doors to many more from around the world to attempt to commence a practise in Canada and in particular in Saskatchewan."
Hoffort said the local hospital has also had a great deal of success attracting doctors through their own channels. He said the local health committee, composed of municipal members have placed ads around the world, and that has yielded a number of new doctors as well.
"That committee is directly to be credited with a number of the physicians that have arrived in Estevan. Our anesthetist, our OB/GYN and some of our general practitioners as well. We have a number of irons in the fire, from the tremendous work of the committee as well as the SIPPA program."
Hoffort said the number of doctors in the Energy City remains below what would be ideal, but they are expecting one in the new year and the situation is nowhere near as dire as it was just a couple of years ago.
"We'll just keep at it until we realize the appropriate number of physicians," he said. "We've learned a lot in the last couple of years as we've come from crisis to get the numbers up. We're now positioned where we can respond and hopefully, we won't get back to that state again."
As far as recruiting doctors with more specialized skills, Hoffort added that Sun Country is a great resource for them. The health region identifies doctors and he said they have access to that pool as well.
There are 11 doctors working in the city at the moment, and Hoffort said the hospital is very happy with the work being done by its resident physicians.
"The doctors we have practicing now are doing a tremendous job. Certainly, they're a part in handling the needs of the patient."
St. Joseph's is also looking to get involved in a residency program, entering the matching process in 2014. Physicians that are looking to find facilities to complete their two-year residency for family medicine will be matched with facilities like those in Estevan looking to provide that service.
"Discussions with the College of Medicine and everyone else looks like things are heading in that direction, and we'll be successful in that.
"It's huge. It's a great opportunity for local physicians to train new students. It's a wonderful opportunity to have students from, perhaps, even our own town come back and do their residency here. It's great for our staff at St. Joseph's Hospital."
He noted they receive medical students at the hospital regularly throughout their first years of medical school.
