Recruiters look to draw U.S. family doctors to Hamilton area to address shortage

Hamilton’s health-care network is actively seeking out family physicians from the United States who may be looking to relocate to Canada due to dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump’s government. Brad van den Heuvel, director of physician recruitment at the Greater Hamilton Health Network (GHHN), revealed that they are stepping up their efforts to attract American doctors by attending more recruitment conferences in the U.S. and advertising on American job boards for the first time.

The goal is to encourage these physicians to make a long-term commitment to practicing in Hamilton, Haldimand County, and the northwest region of the Niagara Region, where GHHN operates. Currently, there is a significant shortage of family doctors in Hamilton and Haldimand, with 38 and 37 additional physicians needed respectively.

Since Trump’s election last fall, there has been a slight increase in interest from American doctors in joining the Canadian healthcare system. Five American physicians have reached out to GHHN inquiring about opportunities, with four being specialists and one being a family doctor.

According to Dr. Joss Reimer, president of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), now is the time to turn the U.S. ‘brain drain’ into a Canadian ‘brain gain’. She highlighted the need for Canada to attract American medical and scientific professionals who feel undervalued in the current political climate in the U.S.

The Trump administration’s cuts and layoffs at federal health agencies have further motivated American healthcare professionals to consider relocating to Canada. Reimer emphasized the importance of making it easier for foreign-trained health professionals to practice in Canada to capitalize on this opportunity.

While the prospect of recruiting American physicians is promising, there are challenges to consider. One major obstacle is the disparity in pay between the public healthcare system in Ontario and the private system in the U.S. Additionally, there is a risk that doctors recruited from the U.S. may return once the political landscape changes.

Despite the potential benefits of attracting American physicians, van den Heuvel stressed the importance of not neglecting the recruitment of Canadian-trained physicians. With limited resources and budget, GHHN must continue to focus on addressing the shortage of healthcare providers in the region.

Overall, the efforts to recruit American physicians present a valuable opportunity to strengthen Hamilton’s healthcare system and address the growing need for family doctors in the area. By leveraging the interest from American healthcare professionals, GHHN aims to enhance the quality of care provided to residents in Hamilton, Haldimand, and the surrounding regions.