health organizations – Winnipeg Free Press

Manitoba's goal of adding 100 doctors this year is “every way” possible, says the chair of the Manitoba Medical Council.

Dr. Candice Bradshaw was one of several spokespeople for health organizations supporting the plan announced in last week's budget at a press conference Thursday.

“We hope these plans include support and resources for individual physicians in Manitoba, with plans to recruit from abroad and retain our own graduates,” Bradshaw said. Funds are available to support 100 physician plans.”

Representatives from Shared Health, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba and the Manitoba College of Family Physicians also said the plan is achievable.

The provincial government said it is working with those organizations, as well as the University of Manitoba and the Professional Association of Manitoba Residents and Interns, on recruitment and retention.

Additionally, Bradshaw said Manitoba Physicians is developing a new program to support Canadian and international physicians as they begin their practices in Manitoba. An improved reimbursement model for family physicians under the new contract is expected to make a difference in retention, Bradshaw said.

The announcement included a summary of how new doctors are recruited and what steps the government is taking to prevent doctors from leaving the profession or the province.

Dr. Anna Ziomek, registrar and CEO of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, said the province should always consider non-physician-centred models of care to increase access to health care.

He thanked the government for expanding the U of M's one-year training program for international medical graduates from 20 places to 30 places.

“If you're going to have a doctor in Manitoba and you're going to be happy for them to stay here, we have to look at ways to integrate (international medical graduates) into the system and make them more comfortable,” Ziomek said. The one-year curriculum is the “jealousy” of all other provinces and is essential for retention.

“While (100) may seem like a big number, it is a very achievable number and we at Shared Health are excited to be a part of this effort,” said Shared Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jose Francois.

He acknowledged that the system needed to improve working conditions and move to “team-based” care.

Premier Wab Kinyu and Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said a provincial health recruitment and retention office is being established to address the target of adding 100 doctors, 210 nurses, 600 health assistants and 90 paramedics.

The pledge is part of a $309.5 million budget pledge to improve recruitment and retention.

Asked what the province was doing now that hadn't been done before, the premier spoke of the need for a “solutions-oriented” culture. In the budget, the province said it would increase medical residency positions by 38 percent, add clinical assistant positions and restore the rural physician recruitment fund — a $2 million investment.

The health minister said the government is working to simplify the immigration and licensing process for doctors.

Progressive Conservative health critic Kathleen Cook criticized the statement in a statement that, unlike recruitment plans in other provinces, it “doesn't detail specific measures to attract doctors to Manitoba.”

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