Family physicians seem to be in short supply, not just in Moose Jaw or the Five Hills Health Region, but around the province and the country. But relief is on the way locally. The FHHR is pleased to say they have recruited two more family doctors to Moose Jaw and another two emergency room doctors for the Union Hospital.

Dr. Brad Thorpe, President of the Five Hills Health Region Regional Medical Association, is encouraged but, as a physician himself, he understands that there is more work to be done. "It would be ideal to have up to eight or ten more but that's in an absolutely perfect world so I would say that we probably need another two or three still."

Thorpe says the problem is actually fairly simply to explain.  There just aren't enough doctors to cover all of the patients in our province.

"Recruitment remains a difficult thing and it always has been." explained Thorpe. "I've been recruiting here at South Hill (Medical Clinic) and other doctors have been as well and the supply and demand just don't meet."

The addition of ER doctors will bring the emergency room at Union Hospital back to full staff but there is still a shortage of family physicians in our city, which is problematic according to Dr. Volker Rininsland. He, and other doctors, are still working 15 hour days to keep up with demand. They can manage but it comes at the expense of free time, family time and time spent learning more about patients and their ailments.

Meanwhile, Assiniboia will be home to a new physician by December.  The Five Hills Health Region says the new doctor will start work after completing the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment. A second physician will arrive in Assiniboia in January to provide one month of temporary relief.  The health region says, at that time, he will decide about joining the practice long-term.

Five Hills says it is also working to attract more physicians to Gravelbourg and Craik.