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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1999-02-10, Page 2Church Services You are intuited to attenc these area churches St. Thomas Anglican Church Jarvis St. Seaforth Rev. Robert Hiscox 482-7861 Sunday Feb.' 14"' Service of Morning Prayer at 9:30 a.m. . followed by.a Parish Brunch CAVAN - (Winthrop) 9:30 a.m. & NORTHSIDE (Godench St.,.Seatorth) 11:00 a.m UNITED CHURCHES Minister. Rev. Jane Kuepfer 527-2635 Guest Speaker: Melissa Whitmore Sunday School during services. nursery provided. First Presbyterian Church Goderich St. W. Seaforth .11:15AM • Sunday School - dunng church .Minister: Rev: Nicholas Vandenney 2 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, February 10, 1999 Conference deals with expected doctor shortage BY DAVE SCOTT Lakeshore Advance Editor There is a projected shortage of doctors in Ontario in the next ten years but when it Comes to knowing exact ..numbers of physicians at the present or the future, it's anybody's guess. Area health planners met Jan. 26 at the London Convention Centre for a technical • workshop on physician recruitment planning methods that can be applied at the district and regional level. The workshop was co=sponsored by three district health councils including the Grey Bruce Huron Perth DHC, Essex Kent Lambton DHC and Thames Valley DHC. A number of speakers from a variety of health organizations spoke about how 'many doctors there are in the system. assessing the supply and distribution, planning the distribution. predicting the number of doctors there should be in the future and other related topics. Facilitator for the day was Grey Bruce Huron Perth DHC executive -director Jim . Whaley.. . Locally, Dr. Carolin Shepherd of Seaforth attended the 'conference as -did other doctors from the area. - Defining Rural Area Boris Kralj, director of Health Economics Research at the Ontario • Medical Association (OMA), said there -'s debate over what is rural, what is underserviced "and even what is considered ,'north' in Ontario. • There are different ways used to define northern and rural. There's postal codes. And there's a formula of communities with populations less than 10,000 and more ` than 80 km from a major urban centre.' He referred to a program • offered to. 20 rural; r undcrserviced, northern communities with three to seven general practitioners or family physicians each. The program is, aimed at retaining and attracting doctorsand encourages formation of a group practice. Kralj says there's some "innovative and progressive components" of the plan, including addressing "burn • out" issues. Major features of the plan include: ' • guaranteed-- annual' remuneration, 20 per cent above provincial average • • office overhead cost support (S60,000 lump sum) • bonus - payments -for. specialized services; eg. deliveries • bones payment for 24-hour emergency coverage • time off for CME and vacation • maternity leave benefits • retention bonus after three • years of continuous` service 610.000) • UAP incentives "It's a fairly progressive type of arrangement." says Kralj, who works with the Physician Human Resources Committee •- a joint committee of the OMA and the Ministry of Health. "It was introduced for northern communities - but there's quite a bit of interest (from other areas)." The joint committee talked about expanding that plan to include other rural underserviced areas and is considering implementing it in stages moving from north to south in the province. "There's talk of extending the agreement south with adjustments to the contract," said Kralj. "To expand south we . need a better understanding of what 'rural' is." He said.the population to 'physician ratios which are used in nine of 10 provinces for planning. were never developed for that purpose. The disadvantages of the • ratios. says Kralj, is that they assume there arc homogenous physicians that practise the same and have the same amount of patients. The numbers become more suspect. he said, when you look at things on a smaller scale like by county or municipality. In a question and answer session, Kralj said results Jim Rourke of Goderich was moderator of the panel discussions during a medical • planning seminar in London two weeks ago. On the panel are Kathleen Clements, McMaster University; Boris Kralj, Ontario Medical Association; Peter Coyte, University of Toronto; Jill Strachan, Canadian Institute of Health Information; and Lynda_ Buske, Canadian Medical Assocation. DAVE SCOTT PHOTO aren't known about the success of the horthern plan because it was just introduced in November. But there's another 19 -or 20 communities • that want more information on it now. Ministry rep a no-show A suggestion by Coyte was for the government to award medical school's for sending grads to underserviced areas. The U. of T. professor commented on the absence of scheduled speaker David Salter, manager of the Underserviced Area Program, ffont the Ministry of Health. He hinted some issues might be clarified if a ministry representative was present: Organizers of the conference said Salter gave no explanation of his cancellation other than he was "unable to attend." No substitute was sent in his place. . Family physician and UWO professor Jim Rourke of Goderich was the moderator of the panel discussion on planning - what is feasibleat the district and regional levels. "Physician: to population rates for county levels might be useful information butit doesn't reflect what goes on at the community level," said Coyte. "I think you should look at all the data =but with caution," said Kralj. • Kathleen Clements, director .. of the Health Intelligence Group at McMaster University said "as planners what you can use is important. There's a variety of different sources. The most valuable information you can collect is locally." Rourke made the comment that data is skewed if someone goes out of their area to get ' medical service. One doctor from London said "I'd be inclined to talk to doctors, nurses, etc. and then read the papers you've published and try to make a pitch to the province." A physician in the audience asked if anyone is trying to gather information on health care requirements needed to predict workload for an area. "It seems that would be easier information to get hold of, then plan manpower and the system around that," he said. Rourke said in the 1970s, there was a trickle-down theory about graduatittg physicians - that they would. come to the country because the city would fill up. But the opposite happened. Doctors just set up small practices in the city and were able to make a living. "How do you get them to go to Wawa and Wiarton when they can go to Kitchener and have a full practice?" asked Rourke. Rural doctors often have a second job beyond their doctor practice, he said. like emergency work or delivering babies or G.P. anesthesia. Rourke, too, commented on the absence of a Ministry of. Health representative. "I'm just disappointed nobody is • here from the Ministry of Health. Maybe they figured out that the cheapest doctor is no doctor at all." . How many doctors? Kralj's second presentation on Access Modeling revealed that determining how many physicians there are now is not as simple as it'appears. Using Ontario physician numbers from 1996, he showed how fromfour different sources, there as a range of difference ov 1,000. The high estimate was from the Ministry of Health at 10,926 doctors for the province and CIHVSoutham estimating 9,903. At the county level, he used Middlesexas an example and had three numbers that varied more than 80 from the high estimate to the low estimate. The three different totals were 411, 4.67 and 378. "(Looking at an average) Pius or minus 30 is a lot of doctors' for Middlesex," he said.. - According to projections. Kralj said "we're 'going to be facing a supply problem very soon."' The question medical planners should answer is what the population needs, he said. More doctors will retire in 2011 than ,will open new practices, said Danielle Frechette of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Frdchette reported that "the age profile of the practice population in Canada warrants special attention, especially since it• takes at least one- decade nedecade to train a specialist from the time of entry into medical school. Looking ahead to 2007, certain trends are cause for concern. For example. more than 40 per cent of the workforce in 22 specialty groups in Canada will be over 65 years old." Frechette asked if care is now being provided in the most effective manner. She said her father-in-law was recently brought to an emergency department and turned away because it was too busy. AvonDISTRICT SCHOOL Maitland earning for a Lifetime FRENCH IMMERSION REGISTRATION Registrations for GRADE ONE and GRADE FOUR FRENCH IMMERSION for September 1999, will begin immediately and end on February 19. 1999. Contact your local Public School Principal as soon as possible to register. Sites in the North gingham area), Central (Clinton/Seaforth area) and South (Stratford area) will be announced at a later date. The Board will endeavour to provide bussing for students where possible. - For further information contact the Seaforth Administration Centre at (519) 527-2266 OR 1-800-592.5437 and ask for Dianne Stevenson, ext 139 Lorne Rachlis Wendy Anderson Director of Education Chair Kralj said although Toronto has. an abundance of doctors and specialists. there is an access problem. Frechette doesn't, think the future of health care -should be built on the current status quo. Aside from there being a decline of doctors in the near future, many medical school grads are saying they don't want the kind of schedule doctors currently have. or have had traditionally. " Rourke said there are more demands now -on physicians from the patient side. They want more information from their doctors"than in the past on the treatment they're receiving. There was a comment from a doctor in the audience that 80 per cent of patients managed in emergency rooms can he managed by family physicians. Rourke said the system is still short of physicians -and it provides a challenge. "Perhaps rural areas will become. , leaders instead of followers (in recruiting physicians)." - "It was encouraging to see - members of ' the health community from Ontario working together trying to solve the problem of doctor shortage," said Westlake; representing the Zurich and Area Health Association. McLaughlin Chev-Olds Ltd. 13 Main St. Seaforth. 527-1140 •Service 'Selection "Savings 'Satisfaction 'Leasing 'Complete BODY SHOP Service McMaster Siemon t INSURANCE • BROKERS INC. 'AUTO 'HOME •FARI,1 •TRAVEL 'COMMERCIAL, •LIFE INSURANCE BROKERS: Bill Siemnn Vicki Siemon Dan Proctor ken Hutchison 8 Ontario Rd. • 348.9150 Mitchell : 1-800-561-0183 f • • Roses are Weil, Violets are Blue s ar is sweet an /LdTIWZ your is. too! Sq. L r��� V'SIrl with Specialty Chocolates, ilallmarkCards Picture Frames, Cordless Phones Clock Qadios, Scented Candles Cassettes ey C'Ds • • - and more in store items Happy Valentine's Day! from 5im, Danica dr5taff K R ERS 33 Main Street, Seaforth 527-1680 "Your Lottery Headquarters JOHN W. BROTHERS M.S.W., M.B.A. CUNTON, ONT. PSYCHO -SOCIAL ASSESSMENT & TREATMENT . •Individual Therapy •Conflict Resolution •Morital7Family Therapy •Grief Work •Substance Abuse Counselling •Crisis Intervention 'Emotional Distress •Psi cho-Geriatjic Services By Appointment Only - Sliding FEE SCALE 1-888-857-9937 crow FREE) Bethel Bible Church An Associated Gospel Church Meeting at Seaforth High 9:45 a.m Bible School 11:00 Worship Fellowship with God and others Small Group Meetings Weekly Pastor Doug Corriveau 522-0070 Catholic Church Masses Victoria St , Seaforth__ Saturday 5:15 pm • St. James Pansh, Seaforth Saturday - 7:15 pm. St: Joseph's Parish. Clinton Sunday - 900lm . a St Michaels Parish. 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