Lethbridge’s solution to family doctor shortage goes beyond incentives

In Alta., any physician paid a recruitment incentive is placed in rural towns for an average of five years. Once these agreements lapse, many move to urban areas and this was among the reasons physicians left Lethbridge. The municipality partnered with AHS in a recruitment drive resulting in 17 family doctors being hired last year. The recruits are internationally trained and AHS spent up to $80,000 to sponsor them to come to Canada while covering the costs of relocation and assessments. The town also created a physician shortage action plan and petitioned the province to improve health facilities and connect incoming family doctors with real estate, child care, recreation and education specialists. The city also spent $25,000 in marketing. City officials are now connecting directly with doctors to pre-empt departures and other parts of the province are trying to replicate the Lethbridge model.
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