Can sponsorship help solve Canmore's physician shortage? This doctor hopes so

Amid an ongoing shortage of doctors in the Bow Valley, some clinics hope recruiting internationally trained physicians will put a dent in the problem — even if it means paying tens of thousands of dollars to do it.

"We are in a dire situation," said Dr. Brendan Flowers, family physician and owner of Mountain Maternity and Family Medicine in Canmore.

He says the Bow Valley has lost about 10 physicians in the last three years, and while some part-time doctors have recently moved to the area, there are still thousands of patients left unattached. 

"We're engaging with AHS to solve the problem, and we're willing to put some money on the line to do that." 

Flowers' clinic is in the midst of hiring a new doctor through Alberta Health Services' (AHS) sponsorship program. The program allows clinics to post jobs for which international medical graduates can apply. 

Two other Canmore clinics — Ridgeview Medical Centre and Canmore Associate Medical Clinic — are hoping to do the same thing, and are currently having their applications reviewed by AHS. 

The idea is that by casting a wider net, clinics can raise their odds of finding the right person for the job, Flowers said. 

The wrinkle is that international medical graduates have to undergo a practice readiness assessment through the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA), which can cost up to $34,885, according to the CPSA's website. 

It's a big expense for clinics that say, like all small businesses, they're dealing with high overhead and rising costs associated with inflation. But Dr. Kendra Barrick, president of the Bow Valley Primary Care Network, says it's worth a try. 

"We're grasping at straws, essentially," said Barrick, who is also a physician with Canmore's Ridgeview Medical Centre, which has also applied to AHS for a sponsorship-supported position. 

"If it means that we have to pay $30,000 to $40,000 to support a physician, at least it's a physician." 

Looking for funding

Flowers is hopeful AHS will step in and agree to subsidize at least some of those assessment fees, as it has done for two sponsorship positions in the Town of Banff. 

In that situation, there was an understanding the recruits would also work for the Banff Springs Mineral Hospital, which is an AHS site, said Calgary Zone Medical Director Dr. Mark Anselmo in a letter that goes before Canmore council Tuesday. 

Flowers believes a similar arrangement could be made with his clinic, provided the successful candidate is open to providing some services out of Canmore General Hospital. 

"We're hopeful that there's an opportunity for subsidy … provided the right person is found," he said. 

In response to an inquiry from CBC News, a spokesperson for AHS said it's aware of current staffing challenges in Canmore. 

"[AHS] is supportive of the recruitment of additional physicians to the town and the Bow Valley Corridor," said the statement. "This includes physicians with training outside of Canada."

The statement confirmed the Calgary Zone "is willing to partner in one-time costs for recruitment connected to AHS operations, emergency, or in-hospital work," but didn't say if a decision had been made yet about Flowers' posting.

'Where are they going to live?'

For Canmore's Mark Robins, anything that will help bring more doctors to the Bow Valley is worth a try. 

He's currently without a doctor and is on five different waiting lists, with no alternative but the walk-in clinic or the emergency room in the meantime. 

"It's clearly bad and I don't know what the answers are," said Robins. 

Robins said he'd be happy to be seen by a foreign-trained physician, though he wonders if the plan might hit a snag due to a lack of local housing. 

"Where [are] they going to live?" he said. "That's a big, big issue in Canmore — where are you going to house doctors?" 

Barrick and Flowers acknowledge affordability and housing are real barriers when it comes to recruiting for any job in the Bow Valley. 

Hiring international medical graduates isn't a cure-all, but they hope it means they'll have better odds of recruiting someone who is able to put up with those hurdles. 

"These are often physicians who are later in their careers and so might be more financially stable," said Barrick. "It's looking at increasing the pool of physicians, looking at increasing the options."

So far, the plan is showing promise.

Flowers said he's receiving applications, and while it will likely take between six to 18 months for a successful candidate to start working, he believes every little bit helps — even if that just means getting the word out about opportunities for doctors in Canmore. 

"I would love to have this more of a grassroots effort because the more people who are advocating for this, the more likely there will be a change," he said.