Michael's Musings

Cranbrook and Castlegar move forward on health care as Feds get 'close to zero' grade on reducing wait times.

By Michael J Morris

As Cranbrook moves toward having a new medical centre, and Castlegar launches a family doctor recruitment program, the Harper government receives a grade of "close to zero" on reducing wait times for Canadians to see a regular family doctor.

According to news reports, it will be called the Baker Street Professional Centre as New Dawn Developments has formed a new business to take over the Baker Street Mall, formerly the Cranbrook Mall in the downtown area.

Reportedly it will contain two clinics for family practices, a physiotherapy practice and a pharmacy with space for other family doctors who wish to locate in Cranbrook. It is expected part of the plan will be in effect later in 2014.
Good news indeed as the centre will provide space for health care providers but it is also located in the downtown which needs revitalization.

Meanwhile, over in Castlegar the City and Regional District of Central Kootenay (Areas I and J) are each putting $10,000 into a fund to begin proactively recruiting doctors to the area, according to a report on castlegarsource.com retweeted by Kootenay Business, this week.

Apparently an ad hoc group took the initiative and a meeting was held with the the Chamber of Commerce, Castlegar mayor and council, and RDCK directors for Areas I and J.  Castlegar city councillor Florio Vassilakakis  said they will take “a whole different approach to the issue”, castlegarsource.com reported. Apparently it will follow a successful program undertaken in Creston.

Castlegarsource,com reported that Chamber of Commerce executive director Tammy Verigin-Burk said the money will be used primarily for promotional material, and to hire a recruiter working with Health Match BC, a service for doctors looking to relocate to our province.  “They screen for qualifications (ie: for international candidates) to help get doctors into BC towns,” she said. “That's often where it all falls apart."  She added, "hiring the recruiter means taking that extra step and ensuring the lifestyle and amenities here are a good fit for the candidate in question, so they'll be willing to stick around for the long haul and invest years in the community."

That's potentially more good news on the health care front in southeastern British Columbia along with the recent announcement that Selkirk College has created the Rural Pre-Medicine Advanced Diploma and Associate Degree Program to be offered at its Castlegar Campus. The program will offer students, not limited to Castlegar wanting to pursue a career in medicine a three-year opportunity to learn at a rural college starting in September 2014.

The developments on the medical front in Cranbrook and Castlegar are certainly most welcome, and show serious action is being taken. For the over 1,000 Cranbrook citizens who received a letter recently advising they would no longer be able to see a family doctor at one clinic, it's a sign that the situation may improve.
It seems that in many rural areas now, hospital emergency rooms are becoming "walk-in clinics", but in some hospitals service is reduced because they don't have enough  doctors to staff them 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

John Geddes reported in Maclean's magazine online on February 7 that as Stephen Harper's government marked eight years in power, the Health Council of Canada released a report that placed Canada dead last, among 11 prosperous countries surveyed, when it comes to how quickly patients can get an appointment with a regular family doctor.

Although Rona Ambrose, the federal health minister, issued a statement pledging to work with provincial and territorial governments on the wait time issue, Mr. Geddes says that  John Abbott, the council’s chief executive officer, described the Harper government’s level of engagement on the problem as “close to zero.”
Mr. Geddes adds a quote from Harper in the House of Commons in 2006: “In this country, there is a deal between the state and its citizens...  If they pay their taxes into a public insurance system, they are supposed to get necessary medical treatment when they need it.”

He also promised  “to act right away to make things better and faster.” 

The result eight years later: Canada Dead Last among 11 prosperous countries surveyed.

I wish those involved in the Baker Street Professional Centre in Cranbrook well with its plans, and much success to Castlegar on its initiative.   Hopefully, more will become involved in ensuring adequate health care for all citizens.  My email is  mj.morris@live.ca

Full disclosure: I am not now and never have been a member of the Citizens for a Livable Cranbrook Society; however, I did conduct a workshop for its members for which I was paid.