Report from Walden-CAN Health Services Task Force re- Jan 17/06 Meeting with Dr.Bayly & Dr.Koop

Report from Walden-CAN Health Services Task Force re- Jan.17/06 Meeting with Dr. Bayly & Dr. Koop
…for Walden-CAN Feb.7/06 Meeting
Present: Richard Bois, Gwen Doyle, Darwin Brunne, Paul Doyle, Art Neufled
Regrets: Jim Palys, Brent Battistelli, Forbes Stoodley
Guests: Dr. Koop & Dr.Bayly, Lively Medical Centre

1. Background information re- City’s Retention & Recruitment Policy re- Outlying Areas: by Dr.Koop

a. Copper Cliff Medical Clinic: when it closed ; FDs moved to Sudbury; little complaints from the community

b. Azilda Medical Clinic: privately owned building; 2 FDs went to City for Retention & Recruitment Funds; success story; in one year recruited Dr. McLean

c. Lively Medical Centre: 2004 went to City when Dr.Mitchell moved to Sudbury; asked City for Retention & Recruitment funding; thought we had new FD- one went to Ottawa- the other to Espanola

d. Coniston: Dr. Noel deTilly had small clinic; privately-owned building with extremely low rent; City suggested he move to 2 FD Clinic; privately-owned Apt. building; City paid for renovations; low rent; pays small % of lease; hires his own staff; no FD yet.

e. ‘Under Serviced Areas’ term applies to all of Sudbury:
Many opportunities to attract FDs in City core: walk-in clinics, hospitalist positions, teaching opportunities
Outlying areas still struggling to recruit FDs

2. Clarification re- LMC Request for Retention & Recruitment Funds from City, 2004:

a. When Dr.Mitchell left, looked at possibility of relocating eg Walden Plaza
b. Our landlord helped; only had to pay $17 per sq ft re- portion we used as 3 FD Clinic
c. City would not consider a Coniston –type scenario at that time
d. City provided $150,000 over 5 yrs
...in Retention & Recruitment Funds @ $30,000 per year (@ $10,000 per 3 FDs)
e. Our landlord would not pay for renovations without a lease
f. The $10,000 each just covered our overhead costs- NOT RENT!
- running costs, same telephone system etc
g. We have never seen the ‘Agreement’ as cited in City Council Minutes & posted on website

ACTION: HSTF needs clarification from the City re- $150,000 Retention & Recruitment Funds/Policy at Feb. mtg.

3. Status of the Nov.18/05 Letter to City from Dr. Koop:

a. Finding out if LMC is eligible for a one year $20,000 Signing Bonus
b. Requesting assurance that retention initiative will continue until new FDs recruited
c. No response to date * City Council must respond

4. Is a Fee For Service Clinic the only short-term solution for Walden?
...Until the City of Lakes – Walden FHT is up & running?

Comments by Richard Bois:

a. The City of Lakes –FHT will eventually be set up in a city-owned building with the ‘Alternate Payment Plan’ Model the only option; 2 –3 yrs?
b. The City has provided funds for Fee For Service Clinics, in privately-owned buildings in the past: Azilda, Coniston, LMC
c. If evicted from building, it seems the City should continue to offer support to LMC- after 41 yrs of service- offering space in Town offices; renovate; ask low rent etc – until the Walden-FHT becomes a reality

5. Would LMC relocate to the Town offices ...if given the option/support of the City?

Not against a move in itself...Already looked at this option with McTaggert, Catherine Matheson & architect
a. $300,000 in costs estimated by architect ( probably higher)
b.Talked about other services
c. Patients did not want to relocate at that time
d. Cheaper to renovate old building

Other comments:

a. If overheads & rent were not too high it would be attractive
b. If it were Fee For Service Clinic
c. A higher ‘Signing Bonus’ might help attract FDs to outlying areas
d. The Provincial Incentive Programs sounds good too; should find out more about it & how to access it
e. Community needs to think of other incentives to offer re-Walden

6. Status of LMC Proposal re- FHT & City of Lakes –FHT:

a. When LMC applied re- FHT it was not accepted; put together quickly; NP-based; didn’t have details re- ‘Payment Plans’
b. Nov/05 LMC applied to MHLTC for computer printout comparing our Annual Fee For Service payment with new FHT ‘Alternate Payment Plan’; still have received no information
c. Re-submitted our FHT proposal; turned down in 2nd round
d. City of Lakes – FHT proposal; still have not seen very much detail in writing
e. 3rd wave of proposals due Feb.15/06; smaller proposals by FDs & NPs not already part of an ‘Alternative Payment Plan’ Team

7. Nurse Practitioners’ Role in under serviced areas:

a. NP can be part of Fee For Service Practice…Provincial Grant is $30,000
b. In ‘Under Serviced Areas Models’... Provincial Grant is $100,000- $20,000 in equipment.
c. Provincial groundswell by FDs & NPs asking that these funds be made available to Fee For Service Practices
d. ONPA are lobbying the province to free up funding @ $100,000 re-‘vacant’ NP positions to those under serviced areas where there are NPs living & looking for work
...eg Sudbury

8. Sudbury’s Recruitment Team & LMC:

a. City & Catherine Matheson has always been helpful in the past; let LMC know if any new FD interested in coming to area
b. Concern re- the process used by City Recruitment Team; How are they helping LMC ?

ACTION: HSTF should ask for clarification of City Recruitment Policy @ Feb, mtg re any new FD coming to Sudbury/Walden?

9. What is the status @ LMC? What do you want?

a. If FHT model could be a Fee For Service model we’re interested; FDs + NPs
b. Best solution now is to recruit FD as soon as possible; other FDs later re- new patients

c. In the meantime:
Walk-in Clinics-Wed. (2 –7pm), Sudbury Family Doctors coming on trial basis
After Hours Clinics- Dr. Koop & Dr.Bayly alternating
Trying to get other Sudbury FDs to help
Hold things together until we can recruit new FDs

Actions for Health Services Task Force:

I. Find real status of City of Lakes –FHT:
What is the City’s role? Impact of FHT on LMC at Feb.Meeting

II. Find out status of City Grants:
Retention & Recruitment funds...Is the use of the Town offices an issue?
Clarify use of TAX money
Clear up confusion re- no money to renovate privately-owned buildings

III. Get 3rd Leasehold Funding
Keep LMC up & running until new FHT is reality

IV. Find out how we can help
re- Recruitment/Marketing Walden to new FDs