Small things, massive impact: How one small city is showing family doctors the love (and getting it in return)
The Cure: How Williams Lake is Tackling the Primary Care Crisis
The primary care crisis in Canada is a pressing issue that has left millions of people without access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner. In the Interior region of British Columbia alone, there are approximately 75,000 people waiting to be connected with a healthcare provider. This shortage of primary care providers has led to hospital closures and limited access to essential medical services for many communities.
In response to this crisis, the city of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital Board have implemented a unique recruitment and retention strategy to attract healthcare professionals to the area. This program, known as the healthcare landing co-ordinator program, aims to provide personalized support and assistance to incoming doctors and specialists to help them integrate into the community.
One of the key aspects of the program is the focus on personalized touches to make new healthcare providers feel welcome and supported. Melissa LaPointe, the director of the program, goes above and beyond to ensure that visiting doctors have everything they need to feel at home in Williams Lake. From stocking the fridge and leaving a basket of toys for doctors with kids to organizing social activities like yoga classes and mountain bike rides, LaPointe ensures that new healthcare providers feel welcomed and valued in the community.
Since the program started, Williams Lake has seen an increase in the number of new doctors and specialists moving to the area. The program has also expanded to support medical students, specialists, and other healthcare professionals. By providing housing options, daycare information, and partner employment opportunities, the program aims to make the transition to rural practice as smooth as possible for incoming healthcare providers.
The success of the program in Williams Lake highlights the importance of building relationships and creating a sense of community for healthcare providers in rural areas. Dr. Johnny Chang, a board member of the B.C. College of Family Physicians, emphasizes the importance of personalized care and community support in attracting and retaining doctors in rural communities.
For doctors Jacques and Mariska Neuhoff, who moved to Williams Lake from South Africa, the sense of community and support they received was invaluable. Both have advanced their careers in the rural setting and now work as chief of staff and head of the department of medicine at Cariboo Memorial Hospital. The couple now pays it forward by encouraging other doctors to choose rural B.C. and welcoming new healthcare providers to the community with open arms.
The healthcare landing co-ordinator program in Williams Lake is a shining example of how personalized support and community engagement can help tackle the primary care crisis in Canada. By focusing on building relationships and creating a sense of belonging for healthcare providers, Williams Lake has become a model for other communities struggling with healthcare shortages.
