Whether London should spend $240,000 over the next three years to try to entice more family doctors to open practices in the city will be up for debate this week.
A report going to the community and protective services committee Tuesday afternoon recommends politicians approve the request for funds from the Middlesex London Ontario Health Team (MLOHT). The team, which is made up of local healthcare providers and community members, wants the city to spend $80,000 per year for the next three years to recruit and retain family physicians.
It is estimated that more than 65,000 residents of London and Middlesex County do not have access to a family doctor. East London has the lowest doctor/patient ratio with 3.25 family physicians for every 10,000 residents. Elsewhere in the city the ratio sits at 8.4 family doctors for every 10,000 residents, according to the staff report.
"Middlesex London is not attracting enough primary care providers to provide primary care to its growing population let alone replacing the retiring physicians," the report states. "Many patients are turning to emergency rooms for primary healthcare and are contributing to hospital overcrowding. When the system is stressed or caregivers are rushed, decision making is altered, rates of error increase, and important processes of care are impeded."
To help draw more family doctors to the area, the MLOHT through its primary care recruitment and retention program wants to hire a new recruitment coordinator to actively engage with key stakeholders to attract and retain physicians. As well, it will implement new retention strategies such as mentorship programs, professional development opportunities, and initiatives to improve work-life balance. The annual cost of this program is $200,000. London's share would be 40 per cent, while Middlesex County, the London Economic Development Corporation and Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry are being asked to contribute 10 per cent per year. London Health Sciences Centre, St. Joseph’s Health Care, and Middlesex Hospital Alliance are also being asked for funding.
If approved the money from London would come from the economic development reserve fund.
Other municipalities and cities in Ontario already have similar recruitment programs in place. Sarnia and Lambton County spend $100,000 annually, Hamilton shells out $150,000 each year, and Kingston puts over $250,000 annually toward its program.
MLOHT plans to launch the recruitment program in October.
