'Seeking a Physician': 96 and doctorless, N.S. senior turns to the classifieds

The unusual advertisement in the Friday morning newspaper caught the eyes of many Nova Scotians. It tells the story of a 96-year-old woman who is "of sound mind and body" for her age, and who doesn't want to be "a burden to the healthcare system."

Her biggest concern? She doesn't have a family doctor. 

"I am apparently somewhere in the 80,000's in the physician waiting list, and so time is increasingly of the essence," the ad reads. 

Dorothy Lamont wrote that ad, using the title "Seeking a Physician" — a last-ditch effort to take matters into her own hands after three years without a family doctor. 

"I really didn't know what else to do," Lamont told CBC News in an interview at her home in downtown Dartmouth, N.S. "I should have a doctor. You know, at 96 years old, there's sure to be problems. But I have no one to turn to."

Lamont said in the past nine years, she has had five doctors, all of whom retired or left the city. This has left her with a virtual doctor that she says just isn't cutting it. 

"It doesn't make sense to me," she said. "And I'm sure there are many other seniors in the same situation as I am."

Though Lamont's tactic of advertising for a doctor is unique, her story isn't. 

An estimated 6.5 million Canadians don't have a family doctor. According to a recent Health Canada report, Canada needs nearly 23,000 additional family physicians to address the shortage.

In Nova Scotia, Premier Tim Houston has campaigned on fixing health care and is aiming to slash the list of people waiting for a family doctor or nurse practitioner. The list has been shrinking, after it reached a peak of about 160,000 last June. 

Still, 91,474 people — or about 8.6 per cent of the province's population — were on the Need a Family Practice Registry as of May 1.

"I think for all folks that are dealing with complex health concerns or for the average person in Nova Scotia, we want to connect as many people as possible as quickly as possible to care," Bethany McCormick, Nova Scotia Health's vice-president of operations for the northern zone, said in an interview Tuesday.

• Are you having a hard time finding a family doctor or navigating the healthcare system? We want to hear your story. Send an email to ask@cbc.ca. 

'At 96, I think you deserve a bit better'

Lamont, a retired Grade 4 teacher, loves spending time outside tending to her tulips and large vegetable garden. She calls herself a "busy person" who used to be an avid reader before her eyesight deteriorated.

She has lived in Nova Scotia all her life, and says she remembers decades ago when doctors made house calls, and it seemed like most people had access to primary medical care. 

Her son, Stewart Lamont, is also without a family doctor. He said his mother had a health scare last year and he spent hours with her in the emergency department. When she was eventually discharged, there was no followup because she had no doctor to send the file to. 

He said his mother isn't angry with the government and isn't trying to be political. What she is doing is standing up for herself and other seniors in similar situations. 

"We respect our seniors, we try to look after them. At 96, I think you deserve a bit better," he said. "I'm just proud of her that … she is still willing to make a public statement."

The provincial Department of Health and Wellness declined an interview request for Health Minister Michelle Thompson, and directed the request to the Nova Scotia health authority. 

McCormick, from Nova Scotia Health, said she can't discuss Lamont's case due to patient confidentiality, but she urges anyone without a doctor to make sure their information is up to date on the registry, because the list is triaged. Patients on the registry fill out a health questionnaire and a health complexity score is created for them.

"It tells us about their type of concerns and people that have chronic conditions or more complex health-care needs, maybe a new emerging issue," McCormick said. "We do use that as a way to think about who needs continuous care and connection to a family practice sooner."

McCormick said she has never heard of someone putting an ad in the paper looking for a doctor. 

"I think that person is trying to advocate for their health-care needs, which I think is important."

A surprise call

Stewart Lamont said he received a call from a Nova Scotia Health employee on Friday afternoon, after the advertisement ran in the newspaper, saying his mother's information wasn't filled out properly on the registry and would now be added.

They called back Monday morning and said they were working to find her a doctor. 

Then Monday afternoon, a Dartmouth medical clinic called and said a new doctor moving to the province to take over from one of her former physicians who retired years ago can take her on as a patient in the next few months. 

CBC News contacted the clinic, who said the doctor is on vacation and unavailable to comment. 

Dorothy Lamont said she is optimistic, but is left with one thought. 

"I would like all our seniors to be able to have a doctor to go to, not just me because I put the ad in."