Scott Crabbe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 18/00) - The Yellowknife Regional Health Board and the NWT Medical Association are both optimistic a new strategy to help recruit and retain doctors in the North is off to a good start.

The health board recently signed a memorandum of agreement with the Alberta and NWT Medical Associations, other health boards and the Department of Health and Social Services. Its purpose is to try to find some immediate relief for the serious shortage of doctors in the NWT.

Recruiting and retaining doctors has become an ongoing struggle for the medical association. A decreased enrolment of medical students in Canadian universities and an increased number of graduates flocking to the United States have been major reasons for the shortage.

According to a 1996 study, 26 full-time general practitioners are needed for the Yellowknife region. At present, there are 14 general practitioners, and those doctors who are working between 60 and 70 hours a week are burning out.

Location, travel fees and demanding work schedules add to further problems in the North.

"The problem (with physician shortage) isn't only in Yellowknife, but in all the Northern communities (across Canada)," said Rick Upton, the health board's acting director.

"From northern B.C. to Peterborough, the isolation doesn't appeal to many people."

The memorandum of agreement enables private clinics in the NWT to request temporary relief (locums) on an as-needed basis from a pool established through the Alberta Medical Association.

The locums are paid a standard fee of $600 a day by the various health boards in the NWT.

"Travel arrangements are taken care of by the clinics," Upton said.

"Obviously they're going to be more willing to pay for someone to come up for three months rather than three days," Upton said.

The final, but most significant, step towards recruitment and retention has been the recent creation of a part-time recruiter position.

"The medical association felt that when it comes to recruiting, a physician should talk to a physician," said Dr. Rita Dalhke, who's assuming the new post.

Dalhke, who worked as a physician in Hay River for 18 years, now resides in Calgary, but works as a locum in Yellowknife when needed.

"We want to approach the recruitment issue at a completely different starting point," Dalhke said.

The Department of Health and the association is also currently reviewing doctors' salaries and benefits.

Full-time NWT physicians are presently paid on a fee for service basis.

However, service fees (negotiated last summer between physicians and separate regional health boards) may alter as contract negotiations are reviewed by the Department of Health.

According to the gross billing paid, full-time, part-time and locum physicians were paid a total of $5.1 million in 1998/1999.

The most billed by a physician in that year was $300,000.

As well, it's best to keep in mind that 30-40 per cent of a physician's total pay covers overhead for the privately-run clinics.