Kingston’s new Family Physician Recruitment Incentive Program has already attracted nine new physicians

Last year, our city council approved funding for the Family Physician Recruitment Incentive Program, It launched in January and already we have seen very positive results. Nine new family physicians are coming to Kingston.

“We’re so happy to welcome our newest family physicians to the community,” says Mayor Bryan Paterson.

“Providing access to health care and reducing waitlist times for residents has been a top priority for city staff, and the results of their innovative recruitment efforts will benefit people across the community.”

“Since the onset of the pandemic, we know of seven family physicians who have retired,” says Mayor Paterson.

“We have been able to help mitigate a potentially disastrous situation of adding to the list of residents without family doctors. However, if we are to achieve our ultimate goal of every resident having access to a family doctor, we will need support from our partners.”

City Council is calling on the federal and provincial governments to help in the recruitment and retention of family physicians, saying they don’t have the revenue to pick up the needs of health care without sacrificing the funding of municipal services, such as road maintenance and parks.

“While the City of Kingston stepped outside its lane to address an urgent and ongoing need,” says Mayor Paterson, “it’s time for all levels of government to come to the table to solve this problem that affects the majority of Ontario municipalities,”.

“We are ready to meet with the province, federal government or do whatever it takes to help ensure that our community has a roster of family physicians to care for our community.”

In the 2019 calendar year Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) added more than 25 new doctors to its team, coming to Kingston from as close as Queen’s University, and as far away as Europe and South America.

According to KHSC, the new doctors have varying backgrounds and areas of expertise, including in psychiatry, cardiology, surgery, neurology, and respirology.