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Sharing giggles
Jenissa Allbee, 3, giggles as Wizz-Bang the Clown rolls her over with his funny antics during this year’s annual Youth Festival held at the Okotoks Recreation Centre. Despite the threat of rain on Friday night the weekend’s events were a huge success as the rain managed to subside for most of the morning. For more photos and winners of the parade entries see the full story inside...
- photo by John Barlow
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Opinion  Wonder dog assists autistic child See News |
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Current Weather in Okotoks
Headwaters Health Authority in urgent need of additional doctors in the Foothills
By Gillian BeckettStaff Reporter
Headwaters Health Authority (HHA) is desperately trying to address a doctor shortage that affects communities throughout the foothills region.
Dr. Valerie Congdon, regional medical director for HHA, revealed last week that she is aggressively searching for as many as six general practitioners to set up practices in Okotoks, Black Diamond and High River.
'It is a problem for new residents in the area to find family doctors,' said Congdon. 'We can’t get doctors in Okotoks and we would like to see that reversed.'
In Okotoks there are six family doctors servicing a community of almost 11,000 residents within the town limits alone.
Congdon said she would like to see that number doubled in the near future, but there is a need for two to three GPs almost immediately.
In comparison the population of Okotoks in 1991 was 6,628 people — the number of physicians in town? Six.
The health authority receives three or four calls daily from families looking for doctors who will take new patients. That does not include the number of calls received by the hospitals in High River and Black Diamond or the health units.
Congdon explained that HHA is not the only agency having difficulties attracting doctors.
'This is a national dilemma,' she said. 'Alberta is actually better off than most provinces.'
Congdon was not prepared to call the situation in Okotoks a crisis, but added that should the population continue to increase at the current rate the situation could change dramatically without an infusion of new physicians.
While Okotoks is in need of three or four additional GPs, other communities in the region face similar difficulties.
Despite having 15 family doctors practicing within the town, High River is in need of one or two additional physicians while Black Diamond and Nanton are also looking for help.
Another area in dire need is women’s health and obstetrics.
There are only a handful of female doctors in the foothills and Congdon said none of those currently practicing are accepting new patients.
In an attempt to attract new doctors to the community HHA attends recruitment fairs at the University of Calgary and University of Alberta and local physicians are encouraged to accept family practice residents.
The resident program has been an important tool for the health authority. Young physicians are given the opportunity to work in the community and hopefully become attached to the area so much so that they will remain in the region once their residency is completed.
Even if physicians chose to come to Okotoks they would be hard pressed to find space.
The existing clinics and offices are at capacity.
'The existing clinics are maxed out,' said Congdon. 'Few new doctors have the (capital) to build a new facility. They would prefer to buddy up with an (existing clinic).'
The future Okotoks Health Centre may address part of the problem as HHA is inviting interested physicians and other medical professionals to build beside the facility.
In the meantime, HHA is struggling to not only attract new physicians, but also help them find a place to practice.
Although there does not seem to be any be-all and end-all solutions in the near future, there are several physicians in the region who are accepting new patients. According to HHA there are two physicians in Black Diamond taking new patients and two or three in Okotoks.
The list is updated regularly and residents can contact HHA for more information.
