A doctor recruitment campaign in Wallaceburg has hit the ground running with more than $22,000 raised during its opening days.
The campaign, under the auspices of the Chatham-Kent Family Health Team’s Wallaceburg site, is garnering support from a wide variety of sectors including corporate, small business, community groups and individuals.
The single largest donation to date has been from Adam Watson and partners at Fairway Wealth Management at National Bank Financial which has agreed to match up to $10,000 in donations by the Wallaceburg community.
The Pnyx Baldoon Masonic Lodge in Wallaceburg has donated $2,000.
A member of the Wallaceburg Advisory Team for a Cleaner Habitat (WATCH) has donated $1,500 and a member of the Sydenham Community Curling Club has agreed to donate $1,000.
Campaign co-chair Rob Watson said a wide spectrum of support is key to the group reaching its $100,000 goal.
“The need for new doctors affects the entire community and we need the support of everyone who can help,” he said. “I’m confident the community will pull together for this vital cause.”
Individual donations through cheques are being accepted at Riversite Realty on James Street in Wallaceburg (donors receive charitable receipts) and the committee is developing methods for online donations through e-transfers and credit cards.
CKXS Radio in Wallaceburg is holding a fundraising radio auction Nov. 12-14. Campaign co-chair Greg Hetherington said the event will feature a wide variety of items and experiences.
The auction is being sponsored by AarKel Tool and Die and bids from the event will be matched by the Oaks Retirement Village up to $2,500.
Dr. Dennis Atoe, a Wallaceburg physician, said the community can easily accommodate double its current total of three family physicians.
Noelle Heyink of the Chatham-Kent Family Health Team said the latest data shows that more than 35 per cent of Chatham-Kent residents are without a family physician.
“Most sources place the provincial average in the 15 to 20 per cent range, so the local need is critical,” she said. “We need to act now.”
According to the Family Health Team, family physicians begin their professional careers with an average of $160,000 in school debt. They are then required to work as a resident physician making appropriately $60,000 a year from which they are expected to pay for around $5,000 in medical liability insurance as well as licensing exams fees – which can be $5,000. Many go further into debt during residency.
Funds raised will help physicians offset the cost of establishing a practice.
Hetherington said physician recruitment is a fact of life in Ontario and has been for some time.
“We need to fundraise because that’s what it takes and we have to be on board with it.”
He said physicians coming to Wallaceburg will be required to fulfill a five-year commitment.
“I’m confident that once they see everything our community has to offer, we won’t have any problem keeping them.”
Only about 25-30 per cent of the family resident graduates choose to open an office-based practice. Physicians can make $200,000-$300,000 working full time as hospital staff. Many hospitals are offering signing bonuses as well.
For more information on physician recruitment, visit https://ckfht.ca/
