Chamber's recruitment efforts go high tech

Recruitment efforts go high tech
Published Wednesday July 1, 2009
By Shawn Berry
berry.shawn@dailygleaner.com

The Fredericton Chamber of Commerce is stepping up its efforts to recruit doctors to the city by taking a high-tech slant.

The chamber president's committee on physician recruitment has launched a website, www.gofredericton.ca, and is preparing YouTube videos featuring testimonials from local doctors and patients.

"We think hearing from physicians in our community is perhaps one of the more compelling ways we can do that. They can talk about our world-class facilities, our high-tech equipment and the dedicated professionals in our community. They can also tell the story about how our community is welcoming and open to professionals," said chamber CEO Anthony Knight.

That will complement efforts such as meeting with visiting doctors who want more details about moving and efforts to step up contact with medical students who are from the region.

The committee's main aim is to help attract more family physicians to the area, but it will also help with recruiting other kinds of doctors.

Regional Health Authority B's Fredericton zone has 3,615 patients on a waiting list for a family physician. Family physicians maintain a minimum caseload of 1,500 patients.

The committee has made efforts to attract doctors, having members meet with prospective physicians to show them around the city.

The chamber hopes to participate in a more focused way next fall and co-ordinate its efforts with recruiters for the province and the regional health authority.

"At this point, our focus is largely on family physicians, but we're not into picking and choosing. If a prospect is identified by the regional health authority, we will do all we can to help," Knight said.

Orthodontist and businessman Dr. Robert Hatheway chairs the committee.

He said it isn't trying to reinvent the wheel or step on anyone's toes, but trying to complement recruitment efforts that are underway.

"Part of the identification process will be identifying students from the Fredericton area and New Brunswick originally and just keep reminding the junior and senior students that this is a great place to work and live," Hatheway said.

"We have to develop our own values-proposition. What we have to sell is our community, the area, the assets we have, the proximity to other centres, the access via air travel."