Duane Hicks
Town council doesn’t need to strike a new health-care services committee because it already is doing its fair share to provide input into the delivery of health-care services and doctor recruitment here.
As part of its fulfilment of Strategic Plan Initiative No. 17 (Future of Health Care Services), council approved a report Monday night stating that while a new health-care services committee is not necessary, it will request local physician recruiter Todd Hamilton provide semi-annual updates at open council meetings in the future.
These recommendations came from the town’s Administration and Finance executive committee, which determined a new committee is not needed as council already “has been very active, and continues to be proactive, in ensuring the delivery of health-care services is continuously improving in our community,” Fort Frances CAO Doug Brown noted in a written report.
The completion of the strategic plan item comes on the heels of a presentation by Jessica Logozzo of the North West LHIN at the May 23 meeting of council.
Brown said “our council has been very supportive and extremely involved in the advancement of the delivery of health-care services in our community” by serving on a variety of health care committees.
Couns. Wendy Brunetta and Doug Kitowksi sit on the Physician Recruitment and Retention (PR&R) Committee while Coun. Ken Perry is chair of the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board.
Coun. Paul Ryan is chair of the Northwestern Health Unit Board of Health while Coun. John Albanese is on the Fort Frances Community Clinic Board.
These organizations communicate with the North West LHIN on local health-care issues on a regular basis.
As well, Riverside Health Care president and CEO Ted Scholten is on the PR&R committee and he meets regularly with the LHIN, added Brown.
He also noted that, over the years, “council has been very focused on guaranteeing that there is always an adequate number of physicians available to service our community.”
“Without an adequate number of physicians, it is difficult to provide a sustainable health-care system,” Brown wrote.
“In addition, physicians in our community recruit and attract other new physicians.
“Interested doctors do not look favourably at communities where there is a shortage of and/or overworked physicians,” he warned.
Brown noted council provides both in-kind services and financial incentives to attract and welcome new physicians to this community.
This commitment “is a key consideration which should not to be taken for granted or discounted,” he stressed.
In discussions with Hamilton, it’s clear new physicians appreciate these incentives, which assist them to maintain a work/quality-of-life balance that otherwise might be difficult to attain in a small Northwestern Ontario community.
The incentives provided in Fort Frances are available from most or all Northwestern Ontario and Northern Ontario communities.
Town council also has been very involved in the process of ensuring an appropriate clinic facility is in place for the physicians to practise, said Brown, adding council currently is involved in the planning process to improve the facility in the future.
Furthermore, the town has “played an essential role in ensuring that quality of life and essential services are in place in our community.”
These services include the operation and maintenance of the airport and essential municipal infrastructure, the provision of sport facilities, parks, cultural, and artistic venues, on-going residential expansion, and the ability to ensure safe drinking water is readily available.
“The way council manages the affairs of the community plays a fundamental role in attracting new physicians to our community,” said Brown.
“Council’s dedication to effective management of the community should not be understated.”
He added Hamilton has reported visiting physicians always are impressed with town services, infrastructure, schools, and overall care and maintenance, especially with the available building lots, the new library and technology centre, and state-of-the-art hospital facilities.
