HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1999-03-17, Page 6•-TNI HURON EX►O$IT011„ March 17, 11$1
Recruitment blueprint made
Area doctor helping to bring more physicians to this region
BY AMY ZOETHOUT
Goderich Signal -Star Staff
A number of political and
medical representatives from
'Southwestern Ontario met in
Chatham this month and
drafted a blueprint for
recruiting and retaining
family physicians in these
underserviced communities.
A report recently sent to
MPPs by Goderich doctor
and rural educator James
Rourke stated that
Southwestern Ontario is 330
doctors :short of the
provincial average. The
report highlights the shortage
Of both family physicians and
specialists, access to family
physicians unavailable in
many communities. access to
rural emergency medical'
services at serious risk.
access to rural family
practice obstetrical care at
serious risk, and access to
GP/anaesthesia services at
serious risk. -
The meeting held on Feb.
24 between MPPs.
community leaders; and
officials from a number of
medical organizations
focussed on these concerns
and resulted in a "blueprint"
dealing with these issues.
"The consensus was w;e
need to prioritize what need
to he done and get on with
it." said Rourke. who is also
the director of Southwestern
Ontario Rural Medicine
(SWORM). He added that
they .also need to get
government support and all -
party support behind this
issue.
"MPPs from all parties are,
concerned." said Rourke.
"because this affects all of
their, constituents. They want
to see the people of
Southwestern Ontario have
good access to quality health
care." He added that he was
concerned that without the
support of local MPPs,
getting the problem
recognized in Toronto would
be difficult.
"Clearly it seems to have
struck a chord among the
people of Southwestern
Ontario," said Rourke. "This
is a very serious issue. The
time to do something is
now."
In 1993, the provinces
agreed to cut medical student
numbers by 10 per cent.
Rourke said it takes four
years to. train medical
d'ociors, which comes to
1997. It takes two more years
to' train a family doctor.
making it 1999 when the
serious shortage will be felt.
"That ill-advised move in
1993 will -really start hitting
us." he said. Of particular
concern, he, added, is the
shortage of physicians in
more urban centres like
Kitchener -Waterloo, which is
short 50 doctors. and the
Niagara Region. which is
short 94'family doctors.
"If (doctors) don't set up
practice within a month or
two. where there are more
jobs for their spouses, it is
going to be a' real challenge
in smaller communities. We
have to look now...the
problem is clearly going to
get worse, particularly as the
number of doctors `in Canada
decreases.
"Our population is
growing, our population is
aging. so action needs to be
taken."
Rourke said that more
doctors need to be educated
for rural practice. The
University of Western
Ontario has recently added
Quilt goes to
Marg Smale, Clara
Ducharm, Bea Kale, Mary
Margaret Muloney, Kay
O'Rourke, Vera Murray, Kate
Aslin and Rosa VanBergen
were among the St. James
Catholic Women's League .
who created a Right to Life
quilt that will be sent to
Ottawa for display in May for
the 30th anniversary of the
first abortion.
HILGENDORFF PHOTOS
Ottawa display
About 20 people have put
a month's worth of work into
a Precious Lifc Quilt being
sent to Parliament Hill in
May.
The St. James Catholic
Women's League are one of
potentially hundreds of
groups making quilts in
connection with national
Right to Life organizations
to be sent to Ottawa.
Each patch in each of the
quilts is to represent a
memorial to an aborted baby
and will be used to mark the
30th anniversary of the first
abortion.
The St James CWL quilt
has 56 hlocks with nine
squares in each. -
Different members took
part in making the hlocks,
putting them together and
placing writing in several of
the squares.
The quilt also contains
heart and cross patterns
which stand • as
representations of life.
While the quilts will be
displayed on Parliament Hill,
they will be returned to the
makers with plans for the
quilts to be given to people
in need.
The CWL hopes to display
its quilt at the international
Plowing Match this summer
before it is given away.
Work began on the quilt in
November and it has been on
display for a little more than
a week at St James Catholic
Church.
• By Scott Hilgendorff
this to its curriculum. First-
year medical students are -
being sent to train in rural
communities.
"This has been a
tremendous success," said
Rourke, adding that a number
of students have commentfd
that this was one of their best
learning experiences.
There is also the need to
expand the number of
medical students at UWO,
the only medical school in
Southwestern .Ontario,
"because the need is so great
in this area." With a similar
population as Southwestern
Ontario, Eastern Ontario has
about 1,000 more doctors.
There are two medical
schools in the east.
"They are more likely to
practice where they study,"
said Rourke. '
"This is such a wonderful -
part of the province we live
in with many great small
communities," he said. "If we
can provide the students with
the.right teaming experience
and make these conditions
more attractive and
sustainable, we will be much
more successful:"
SWORM recently hired
Jay Orchard _to help local
communities organize more
effective recruitment of
family physicians. Rourke
added That'the challenge is to
make rural work more
attractive,
Students coming out of
school. for the most part, are
looking to work in- "modern
and well supported clinic
facilities...with the
"appropriate intorrnation
technology, and staff
support." '
Rourke stated that
Goderich is more fortunate
than some other surrounding
areas.
"It's a great place to live
and practice," he said. "The
hospital and physicians and
been very involved in getting
students" to the community.
While they .are still trying to
get two more doctors for the
town, "it is not as serious as
other communities."
Rourke also attend a
meeting at UWO with
Federal Health Minister
Allan Rock. When
addressing a group of experts
at the university. Rock stated.
"The two-tier health care I'm
most concerned with is the
gap between urban and rural
healthcare access."
that the federal government
has established a directive for
rural health care and is
anticipating further
announcements from the
government on this issue.
• "Now that we have
everyone interested, I think
it's time to actually do
something," said Rourke.
GRANTS
AVAILABLE
, NOTICE TO ALL
DESIGNATED
PROPERTY OWNERS
' IN THE TOWN OF
SEAFORTH
If you are the owner of a
designated property in
Seaforth you may be
eligible for a loan and/or
grant.
Guidelines and ,
Applications Forms are
available at the Town Hall
and MUST be submitted
for review to the Seaforth
LACAC for approval prior
to April 1 /99
For more inforthatton. con-
tact Jane Taylor at 527-0160
ALL THE BEST TO
THE CURLING
TEAM OF
Neil McGavin
Neil Dolmage
Don Jewitt &
Gord Pryce
representing the
Kinbum Foresters at the
CANADIAN NATIONALS in Goderich
from
Whitney-Ribey Funeral Home
Seaforth 527-1390
SPRING & SUMMER
REGISTRATION
NIGHTS
Monday, Mar. 29 & Tuesday, Mar. 30
7:00to9:00PM
Seaforth & District Community Centres
Register For
MINOR BALL • MINOR SOCCER
• ROLLER HOCKEY
Please come prepared with Birth Cert. #'s
and Health Card #'s.
For more information call
527-0882
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irwehnen1Ce*e
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Seaforth 96 Main St.
Serving Seaforth Since 1986
527-0420
Avon
DISTRICT
SCHOOL
Maitland
Learning for a Lifetime
FRENCH IMMERSION
"FINAL" REGISTRATION
Registration for GRADE ONE FRENCH IMMERSION
for September 1999, has been extended to 4:00 p.m.
Friday, March 26, 1999.
. Contact your local Public School Principal as soon as
possible to register. Sites have been established at
Grey Central Public School (north), Huron Centennial
Public School (central/south) and Bedford Public
School (Stratford). For the Grey Central site and the
Huron Centennial site, transportation will be available
using the respective elementary school bus routes with
the provision that parents take their children to' the
nearest existing bus stop.
For further information contact the Seaforth Administration Centre at:
- (519) 527-2266 OR 1-800-592-5437
and ask for Dianne Stevenson, ext. 124
Lome Rachlis
Director of Education
Wendy Anderson
Chair
HEALTH ON THE HILL
A Review of activities at
SEAFORTH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
DIABETES COUNSELLINIj individual counselling is available by
appointment by contacting 527-1650 ext. 234. Canadian Diabetes Educators.
Dianne Wood Reg.N. &Jor Lorraine Devereaux. Registered Dietitian will address
your personal Diabetes concerns. Doctor referral is not necessary.
PERINATAL INFORMATION SESSIONS; all interested expectant parents are
welcome and encouraged to attend "Pain Control in Labour & Delivery"
facilitated by Dr. Heather Percival and Physiotherapy Rep. Thursday. Marti 18.
1999 az 7:30 p.m. in Conference Room 2 of the Seaforth Community Hospital.
Pre -registration would be appreciated by valling Nursing Office 527-3001
weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"MORNING OUT" is a New Parent Support Service offered each Fnday,10:00-
11 30 a.m. with Karen Searle. Facilitator. Moms/Dads & infants are welcome to
attend and team/share information and experiences with discussion on a variety of •
postpartum topics.
March 19th: 12:00 p.m. Cold Potluck in Conf. Rm. 2
(former Group pork -mums welcomel ' -
12:30 p.m. "Infant Concerts." Shawn Edwards. M.D.
HOSPITAL AUXILIARY extends a welcome invitation to prospective new
members. Come on out to our next Meeting,'iUes. April 13th @ 7:30 p.a. in the
Conference Room 2 at the Hospital. Enjoy some fun. fellowship and see what we
are all about. Refreshments will .be served. For further information. contact
Mahon MacLean 527-0814. Frances Tentero 522-1979 or Pauline Bennett 527-
0367
COLLEGE OF NURSES INSERVICE Linda Stewart. Reg.N. will be
presenting to RN/RPNs on the standard. "Therapeutic Nurse-Clleat•
Relationships" Thursday. MEL 8, 1999 @ 14:00 Hrs. in Conf. Rm. 2. This
inservice will provide nurscs with an opportunity to learn about the new standard
and to complete a Learning Plan for their Quality Assurance Program. It will..
provide follow-up information to the College's, "One Is One Too Many" -
education resource. For information. and to pre -register. please contact Grace at
Nursing Office 527-3001.
"HEART TO HEART" a post discharge teaching program targeted to those who
have had a heart attack. heart surgery or angina patients will be presented April
1999. For funber information and to pre -register. contact Facihtaior. Valene
Poisson at 527.0320.
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