Fredericton Chamber launches President's Committee on Physician Recruitment

Chamber of commerce wants to get into the doctor-recruitment business
The Daily Gleaner (Fredericton)
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Page: A3
Section: News
Byline: SHAWN BERRY berry.shawn@dailygleaner.com

The Fredericton Chamber of Commerce is setting its sights on doctors, as it looks to ensure the health of the local economy.

The chamber is establishing a working group today to examine how it can support recruiting physicians to the capital.

The chamber is calling on members to step forward and offer suggestions and support to help physicians find office space, locate housing for doctors completing their residency and secure employment for new doctors' spouses.

The chamber's effort won't involve providing financial incentives, said Anthony Knight, CEO of the
Fredericton Chamber of Commerce.

"We're not talking about cash. We're talking about ways to create a more welcoming and open
atmosphere for physicians, their spouses and their families, " he said.

As it stands, more than 1,400 people in the Fredericton area are on a waiting list for a doctor.

There's some concern that a lack of doctors down the road could impact economic growth in the city as a number of area doctors prepare to retire.

"We're obviously concerned about the health and wellbeing of citizens, our employees. This is a relevant, real concern for our employees and for future employees. We need to be aggressive in our work to recruit. We need to sharpen our pencils," Knight said.

"There's a challenge before us. If you look at the average age of doctors here, a large number are approaching retirement, and they're carrying a larger patient load than a newer physician."

Knight said older doctors tend to have up to 4,000 patients. Many younger ones are limiting themselves to a roster of about 2,000.

"For every older physician retiring today, we may need two younger physicians," he said.

Local orthodontist and businessman Dr. Robert Hatheway will be the chairman of the committee.

He has a lot of friends who are doctors. He said they've given him insight into what they looked for when they chose to establish themselves in Fredericton.

"A big part of where they choose to go seems to be location, the amenities in a community and the ability to integrate into the community," he said.

He also knows they could use more colleagues. Physicians are overwhelmed with demand and need help to alleviate that, he said.

At last count, there were 136 family physicians registered in the former River Valley Health district. That number included doctors who didn't have a private practice, who were retired or on maternity leave.

According to MoneySense Magazine's 2008 assessment of the city, there are 2. 2 physicians per 1,000 people in the Fredericton area. That's down from an average of 3.9 the year previous.

Knight said the plan isn't meant to duplicate the province's recruitment efforts but supplement them.

© 2008 The Daily Gleaner (Fredericton)