With the majority of doctors in Perth nearing retirement, the town has decided it must develop its own strategy for physician recruitment if sizeable shortages are to be avoided.

A total of $20,000 has already been earmarked in the 2008 budget for the attraction of physicians, and over the course of council’s term, Mayor John Fenik anticipates that this sum will continue to grow.

"I’m hoping for a total of $80,000 over the lifespan of council," Fenik told the Courier this week. "The money will be Perth specific and will help us to (do everything from) advertise more in magazines and medical journals to open up a turnkey clinic."

With health-care professionals, members of council and even a local citizen on board, the town’s physician recruitment committee is actively seeking ways to draw more general practitioners and nurses to the region. So far, a number of ideas have been brought forward by the committee, including partnerships with other municipalities, financial incentives for relocation and creating bursaries for students who are looking to obtain a bachelor of science.

"We have to face the reality that new physicians are looking for a quality of life and time with their families (and that means) a set work week and a turnkey operation," Fenik said. "We’ve had some discussion about renovating existing spaces (in the hospital) or, if Loblaws is built, (seeing) if there’s space for a clinic in their building."

As every community in Ontario is battling doctor shortages and aggressively seeking medical students, the town is going to need to step up its efforts, says Dr. Alan Drummond.

Although $80,000 is a great start for a town like Perth, other communities are offering upwards of $100,000 to new doctors, along with all kinds of other benefits.

"Ontario is short 1,000 (general practitioners) and a young kid coming out of medical school is going to look at places like Perth, Cambridge and Napanee (and take the best offer)," he explained. "I think other communities have a responsibility to partner on this initiative because these doctors are going to work in Perth and service the needs of 25,000 people in our catchment area."

Perth Coun. Judy Brown agrees that a partnership is necessary for the seven municipalities which are serviced by the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital, because the town alone cannot come up with that kind of finan-cial commitment.

"Hastings County has a cardboard figure it uses at hiring fairs, with a picture of a young doctor holding a cheque for $150,000 that says, ‘Your name here’ and is signed by the warden," Brown said. "They’ve already recruited nine students in varying years of medical school and I think their first one will be coming in 2009."

Although the hospital is not currently in "dire straights," Drummond says it is important to keep marketing Perth as an attractive place to practise medicine and raise a family.

He added that a turnkey clinic will certainly help to grab the attention of young doctors, but stressed that the town should also look at rewarding the physicians who have committed their lives to local patients, with very little incentive.

"What about the doctors who have been at it for 30 years, paying large overhead, without any concern or comment? What does that say to them?" he said. "When we talk about recruitment, we’re also talking about retention. There are all kinds of opportunities for people to pack up and leave for a cash bonus. You could make a career out of changing your practice every five years."

On the same note, Drummond pointed out that the town should aim to attract doctors who want to make a home in Perth and who will be dedicated to their patients for the long haul. By offering incentives, such as large cash bonuses, Drummond says, communities could potentially bring in doctors who will move away as soon as their contracts expire.

"Perth deserves the best and we want well-trained, personable people who have a sense of community," he said. "We want people who want to be here for the long term and who are not here to pick up a cash bonus and leave three to four years later."

According to Fenik, one of the best things Perth can do to attract physicians is to help with relocation fees and to offer very low overhead for them to start up.

"It’s like an auction out there and I’m not of the opinion that we should be buying doctors," Fenik said.

"I want doctors to come to Perth because the quality of life is attractive, but we still have to cater to the times."

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