Walden-CAN - Health Services Task Force- 6 Month Report

Walden- CAN-Health Services Task Force- ‘ 6 Month Report’
…for June 13/06 W-CAN Meeting

I. Background:

In response to concerns expressed by residents of Walden re- the future of Primary Health Care Services in Walden, a Health Services Task Force of 8 people was established in Dec./06:

Richard Bois-Chair, Jim Palys-Vice-Chair, Gwen Doyle-Secretary, Members- Brent Battistelli, Darwin Brunne, Paul Doyle, Art Neufeld & Forbes Stoodley

II.Goals:

1. To gather ‘first-hand’ information - from KEY PLAYERS impacting primary health care services in Walden

2. To make detailed, regular Reports re- information gathered-to Walden-CAN & share with the public

3. To analyze the Facts & make Recommendations for Action to Walden-CAN & share with the public

III.Actions to Date:

1.From Jan. 12 – April 20/06 we held a series of Information-Gathering Meetings with KEY PLAYERS impacting primary health care services in Walden:

Our local Family Physicians- Dr. Bayly and Dr.Koop
A young Family Physician looking to establish a new practice in Sudbury,
Ray Hunt- Ministry of Health & Long Term Care
Catherine Matheson- City of Greater Sudbury
Dr. Chris McKibbon- lead Physician, City of Lakes- Family Health Team
Dr. Dave Morris- Dentist, one of future owners of LMC

It was a very steep learning curve!

IV. Detailed Reports include:

a.The instability of the status of primary health care at LMC:

Continued need for more Family Physicians
Need for continued retention support from the City of Greater Sudbury
Need for renovations at LMC
Need for new owners of site & new lease

b.Details from young Family Physician :

Outlining the realities of starting a new practice in Sudbury
Why not Walden?

c. Description of the Provincial Recruitment & Retention Grants for Family Physicians :
Relocating to an under serviced area in Sudbury- only 1 of 140 under serviced areas in Ontario!

d. Descriptions of the many funding ‘Models’- Family Physicians can choose to work in:
From Fee-For-Service to partially salaried- blended capitation to fully salaried.

e.Details re- the City’s ongoing policy re- Recruitment & Retention of Family Physicians for outlying areas:

The Mayor & Council’s Roundtable on Physician Recruitment & Retention
The Recruitment Program & activities
Partnership with SRH + NOM + Dr. McKibbon re- City of Lakes – 4 Family Health Teams

f. A description of City of Lakes- Family Health Team:

Funding model
Organizational model
TEAM possibilities
Process to date
Future Model for Under Serviced Areas in Ontario!

V.Analysis:

After all our Information-Gathering Meetings, the bottom line remained:

a. Walden Remains Under Serviced Regardless of Provincial & City Incentives :
Recruitment & retention grants/policies
City of Sudbury Recruitment Programs & hosting of visits by Family Medicine residents
The abundance of patients who need a Family Physician in the outlying areas of Sudbury
... the choice ultimately remains solely that of the Family Physician!

b. The Family Physician will make choices:
His/her professional interests- likes & dislikes- lifestyle choices & family situations will determine the choice of:
Funding ‘Model’ he/she chooses to work in
Location he/she chooses to live and/or work in

Note: the distance required to travel to & from SRH impacts Family Physicians with young families when considering working/living in outlying areas

c. Financial/other incentives which will help attract long-term commitment to outlying areas

VI. At our April 13/06 Meeting We Redefined our Role:

a. Advocacy: Community/Lively Medical Center
b. Liaison: City/SRH/Mayor & Council’s Roundtable/LMC
c. Inviting: ‘Marketing Walden’- developing/use Marketing Tools re- recruitment Family
Physicians/Business /Real Estate/Economic development/Tourism etc
d. Welcoming: Community really happy/excited to welcome newcomers

VI.Recommendations for Action to Walden-CAN:

1. ‘Fast-Track’ the development of ‘Marketing Tools’: to present our Community to
potential Candidates & their families; a ‘Welcoming Package’

2. Communicate what’s happening re- Health Services in Walden

3. Determine our Role in Assisting Mayor & Council’s Roundtable on Physician Recruitment &
Retention
4. Establish an ongoing Health Services Liaison Group
a. To work with Mayor & Council’s Roundtable
b. To keep current with health services issues in Walden

5. Investigate the Need for Establishing a Community Health & Safety Issues Sub-Committee
a. Integrating Pharmacists, Physicians, Nurses, Social Workers, Police, Lively DSS, other health care
providers etc
b. Investigate common health & safety issues Eg Drug Abuse

Announcements:

a. If all goes according to plan, the Lively Medical Centre will be under the ownership of Morris
Group- as of July 1st/06.
b.The City has agreed to provide additional Recruitment Funds to help entice new Family Physicians
to come & work @ LMC.
c. And the City also approved two more years of Retention Funds
for Dr. Peter Bayly & Dr. Gary Koop.

Good news for the stability of LMC & health services in Walden.