In the past nine months, seven new physicians have made their way to Timmins and more are on the way.
The new physicians include two orthopedic surgeons, two pediatricians, a family physician, an emergency room doctor and a pathologist. At the beginning of May, a psychiatrist from London, England, is setting up in town and a second psychiatrist from Seattle is coming in September.
Because attracting new doctors is a long game, Cory Krupa, Timmins and District Hospital's physician recruiter, isn't taking credit for all the new hires. He is working to make sure more physicians choose to make Timmins their home, though.
Krupa started in the role of the hospital's first full-time recruiter in July 2022. Before that, he said, the role was tacked on to the duties of other staff members.
The city needs doctors, including specialists and 15 to 20 family physicians.
Since the start of the pandemic, he said the community has lost about 10 or 11 family physicians.
The higher number is because new grads are looking to have smaller practices than previous generations, said Krupa.
"To basically catch up on those unrostered patients is going to take more. And a lot of the new physicians are also looking to help support the hospital too, so they’re looking at smaller roster sizes and to have that quality of life or that work-life balance,” he said.
There is also a need for specialists at the hospital.
Right now, he said there are probably one to two physician vacancies in the majority of the departments.
"We’re focusing our recruitment needs right now on ER, obstetrics and gynecology, radiology to try and make sure that we’re trying to meet those needs. Those are definitely some of the specialities that have greater immediate needs right now,” he said.
Physician recruitment takes a long time because the schooling takes so long, he explained.
We have seven, third-year medical students here every year and we have up to eight family medicine residents. So depending on where you’re catching them in their schooling, they might still have three to five years left,” he said.
“You might be able to plant the seed early, but it might take three to five years to actually see that physician start practising in Timmins."
Ahead of the October 2022 municipal election, people in the local healthcare community spoke up to make sure the local doctor shortage was on candidates' radars.
SEE: 'We're already in a crisis': Doc shortage top priority for group
At that time, they were working as a local physician recruitment task force to recruit and retain primary care doctors.
That task force is transitioning into a physician recruitment and retention committee that's being co-partnered by the hospital and City of Timmins, said Krupa. The details of what the membership and terms of reference will look like are still being worked out.
“I’d really like to say thank you and give a shout-out to Mayor (Michelle) Boileau and her leadership when it comes to physician recruitment and retention. She’s been super instrumental since she’s been in her role. She’s helped organize an event for our students and our residents at the museum that basically gave them the chance to meet with business leaders, community leaders, help them get integrated into the community and at least make them feel welcome and appreciated,” he said.
Krupa has also been working with the Timmins Economic Development Corporation (TEDC).
“When we go to job fairs we now have new posters that are not 20 years old. We have new table cloths, new things to make sure our booth … can stand out. And also they’re willing to attend job fairs with us, which is something that we’ve never done before.
"It’s super cool because not only can I now speak to the hospital’s needs, but someone from the city can speak to everything that Timmins has to offer for a physician, their spouse, their family to really make sure they can see themselves … not only working in Timmins, but living in Timmins,” he said.
Communities across Ontario and Canada are trying to recruit physicians.
Aside from going to job fairs to connect with medical professionals, Krupa also emphasizes the importance of medical students. Right now, he said there are seven students and seven residents in town.
“Right now when they graduate they can really work anywhere across the province. So it’s making sure that whenever they are here they have the best experience possible,” he said.
TimminsToday reached out to the Ministry of Health multiple times requesting data on how many people are currently waiting for a family doctor in Timmins. No information has been provided yet.
To get on the list for a family physician, register online at www.ontario.ca/healthcareconnect or call 1-800-445-1822.
