Over the last several weeks, the Cochrane Eagle has observed growing concern on local social media platforms, including readers writing to us directly: frustration over what appears to be a lack of local family doctors taking on new patients.
The Eagle caught up with Dr. Ted Braun, associate medical director for the Calgary Zone for Alberta Health Services (AHS).
According to Braun, the concern reflects a common problem with fully staffing outlying, or rural, communities from major city centers.
“There is close to an adequate number of doctors in Calgary, but they are not distributed as evenly (in nearby or rural communities) as we would like,” said Braun, adding that doctor recruitment is ongoing — mostly nationally, but also internationally.
There continues to be a demand for other health practitioners, including nurses, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.
Melissa Breau moved to Cochrane two years ago from Calgary. Married with three young children (two who live with asthma), her journey to find a family doctor has taken her longer than expected.
According to Breau, she and her family were initially referred to Oasis Medical Clinic in Cochrane. Following a family meet and greet, she went for a period of several months without the need to visit her new doctor.
When she called the clinic to book an appointment for one of her children, she was surprised to learn that her new doctor had departed the clinic and another doctor had not stepped in to take over the former practitioner’s clients.
Once again, Breau and her family were left without a doctor.
She contacted AHS and spent several weeks on a waitlist, before finally connecting with a doctor accepting new patients at the Royal Oak Medical Centre in northwest Calgary.
“It’s been a lot of driving to Calgary, but you do what you have to do for the health of your family,” said Breau, adding that while she is ‘very grateful’ for the Urgent Care Centre in town, she is puzzled why there hasn’t been more focus on increasing the number of family doctors in town to match Cochrane’s growing population.
She said that she has heard similar stories from many other families in Cochrane, many who are also fielded to Calgary clinics.
Joy Jenson moved to Cochrane two years ago from Vancouver. Also a mother of three children (all under age five) and married to a Type 1 diabetic, Jenson said getting a family doctor was a top priority for her, as her family requires frequent visits.
She quickly learned from asking around that many others were plagued with the issue of hurry up and wait.
After calling all local clinics and achieving no success at locating a doctor accepting new patients, she was referred to visit AHS online to add her family to the wait list.
Because of her husband’s medical condition, she was told their wait time would be less than average.
It took over six months before she was informed of a doctor taking on new patients in Cochrane and around the same time, she had signed up with a doctor at the Royal Oak Medical Centre; the Jenson family has been clients there for some 18 months.
“If we had a local clinic, it would be so much easier and more convenient for me,” she said, remarking on the daunting task of winter driving with three small children.
“It’s a growing community, so why are we not seeing more doctors?”
According to Braun, improving efficiency in the health care system should continue to move in the right direction as AHS continues to build their partnerships with Primary Care Networks (PCNs) around the province.
Keith Bradford is the communications manager with Calgary Foothills Primary Care Network — one of seven networks in the Calgary area.
“Primary Care Networks are groups of family doctors who work with other health care professionals and AHS to deliver primary health care throughout the province,” explained Bradford.
“It serves more than 361,000 patients in north Calgary and Cochrane. Patients of doctors who are members of PCNs have access to physician-led health teams, as well as other clinics and services — including access to health management nurses, clinical pharmacists, registered dieticians and behavioural health consultants (as well as other health care professionals).”
Bradford said that the Calgary Foothills PCN has 21 member family physicians practicing in Cochrane, as well as one pediatrician; more than 90 per cent of area physicians are PCN members, but the exact number varies with doctors retiring and relocating.
Bradford and Braun both recommended that upon beginning your search for a family doctor, visit the PCN website at needadoctorcalgaryandarea.ca; alternatively, people can call the Alberta Health Link at 403-943-5465.
“At times when patients in a particular area or community are not accepting patients or the wait times are long, those patients who need a family doctor may be offered one in a neighbouring community,” said Bradford, adding that some people prefer to locate a family doctor closer to their work, rather than their home.
According to PCN statistics, 257 patients have been connected with a family physician in Cochrane since October 2013 through their website; four patients are currently on the wait list, with requests to be attached to a Cochrane doctor.
Average wait times for PCN users is around 55 days.
Change may be on the horizon, as the planning phase for the ‘Calgary Zone Long Range Planning Project’ will be kicking off shortly; this research and planning phase, which would include public engagement, will take place over 18 months.
The goal of the project is to plan for Calgary Zone (which extends as far north as Didsbury; west to the Alberta/B.C. border; east to the Gleichen area; and as far south as Claresholm) is to assess the areas in need of more health infrastructure and services.
The need for a full-service hospital in Cochrane by 2030 would be examined through this study.
“The Calgary Foothills PCN is committed to working with AHS and other partners in the community to ensure that patients can access a family physician in a timely manner,” said Bradford.
“Research shows that patients who have regular access to a family doctor have better health outcomes.”
