Incentives and ambassadors aim to entice doctors to move to city in northwestern Alberta

Grande Prairie has launched new initiatives to encourage family doctors to relocate to the northern Alberta city — and embrace it as their home.

The Family Physician Attraction Incentive Program, launched Jan. 15, is a part of the strategy approved last summer to tackle the region's shortage of physicians and other health-care workforce challenges.

To complement the incentive program, which is aimed at physicians committed to practicing in the city for at least three years, the municipality has also implemented an ambassador program that connects prospective doctors and their families with resources to smooth their relocation.

"We want to support physicians when they move to Grande Prairie. We want them to be integrated into our community," said Jackie Clayton, mayor of the city located 460 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. 

"Not only does the health-care professional need to be happy if they come with a family, the family and their partners need to be happy as well."

Ambassadors smooth the relocation

When a general practitioner commits to Grande Prairie, the ambassadors will help them integrate such as by finding out if they have children and connecting them with schools or organizations that reflect their interests or hobbies, she said.

"If it's soccer, we put them in the direction of Swan City Football Club. If it's arts and culture, we point them in a different direction, fast-tracking them to be integrated in and happy into our community rather than having a trial-by-error learning experience," said Clayton. 

"It may mean the ambassadors call them in September and say winter comes in October or November. Do you have winter coats? Do you have winter boots?" said Clayton.

"If they've never experienced winter, they may not know that they need winter tires,"

Money not always the priority

The targeted incentive program, meanwhile, has a more specific focus depending on individual priorities, according to the city.

It might include things like travel vouchers for those with loved ones that don't live in the region, or other incentives. Clayton noted that money isn't always a deciding factor.

"What makes them happy and appreciated and feel part of our community is something that is a priority to them," she said.

Clayton said the city has been successful in attracting specialists through the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital, with approximately 34 new hires in the last year. 

"They are not all on-site yet, but they've committed to Grande Prairie and they are in the process of moving here," she said.

"Now our focus needs to pivot to general practitioners and family physicians." 

An official with Alberta Municipalities said initiatives like this can be the missing piece for family doctors looking to relocate. 

"Having the extra services available — whether it's sports, recreation, even guidance on where to find certain things, how to enrol in schools and just that kind of welcoming environment — is really critical for a lot of doctors," said Trina Jones, a vice-president with the organization.

She said it's an issue smaller communities have recognized, but not all of them have the resources to make it work municipally and the work falls to volunteers.

"So when the volunteers may not have the knowledge or the time, it does get frustrating for the families. It's very understandable." said Jones. 

"We're seeing it work in Grande Prairie. I think if more communities tried this approach, I think they would have better results. But a lot of municipalities can't afford the extra stuff that comes along with it."

In terms of a more concrete fix, Jones said the organization is calling for a provincial strategy for health-care retention and recruitment that smaller and mid-size communities can access.