Yellowknife (May 16/05) - Rigid rules and the lure of southern jobs are being blamed for a mass exodus of city doctors and specialists heading out this summer.

The spring and summer are popular times to leave anyway, says Greg Cummings, chief executive officer of Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority.

Greg Cummings is the chief executive officer of the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority.

It isn't unusual that eight family physicians and three specialists have confirmed they will leave between now and the end of summer, though it is significant, he says.

"The kind of transience you see from various professions in the North, I don't think it's unusual for a significant number of people to leave at this time of year," he says.

There are currently 29 doctors and 18 specialists working under the jurisdiction of Stanton Territorial Hospital.

Some of the family physicians are leaving for personal reasons, while others fell prey to lucrative job opportunities elsewhere. Still others are dissatisfied with the medical system in the NWT.

"There have been some very limited comments made about the comfort level of physicians being treated as employees as opposed to independent practitioners," says Cummings.

The Canadian system is slowly changing from the private practice model of old to salaried positions in the public system. Yellowknife has lead the way in this regard and the move doesn't sit well with some doctors, says Cummings.

Dr. Kami Kandola, president-elect of the NWT Medical Association, says the transition is tough for some.

She is taking over the position from Dr. Nicholas Ivanans, one of the doctors who recently handed in his resignation.

"They are independent professionals, used to having independent autonomy to manage their practices," she says. "Sometimes that can be difficult and they are seeking more flexibility."

Co-ordination between doctors, clinics and the hospital for the care of patients is also an issue, says Kandola.

Only one clinic currently has an electronic records system as a pilot project.

Those problems make southern jobs more enticing, resulting in mass exodus' like this one, she says.

"For the physicians, it's a combination of other opportunities right across Canada and a lot of people trying to actively recruit doctors," she says.

The temptation to go to places that offer easier access to laboratories, X-rays and scheduling is also a factor, she says.

Cummings is confident he'll be able to fill six of the eight doctor positions by the fall.

In the meantime all the vacancies will be filled with locums, doctors who come in temporarily, two weeks to six months at a time.

There is limited supply and huge demand for doctors in Canada, Cummings says, but he already has commitments from a few looking to come North.

Hospital officials say they are short on specialists for general surgery, ear, nose and throat, and orthopedic surgery.