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JUNE 16, 2014
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Vol. 63, Issue 114
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Five family doctors closing down their Cranbrook practices
City will now have longer term picture for planning ARNE PETRYSHEN Townsman Staff
Physician shortage worsens as 3,000 people will be added to those without a family doctor come July
S A L LY M AC D O N A L D Townsman Staff
More than 3,000 people in Cranbrook will be without a family doctor next month as five physicians are closing down their family practices this year. Dr. Sheela Mistry and Dr. Rina Fourie at the Associate Medical Clinic will both close their practice in July, leaving about 1,800 patients without a doctor. Dr. Bob Cutler at the Green Clinic is retiring this summer, meaning his 1,400 patients will no longer have a doctor. Dr. Stuart Macdonald at the F.W. Green Clinic switched from family practice to emergency medicine in March. His 1,000 patients were mostly covered by other doctors. Dr. Helena Buchar at the Green Clinic is moving her practice to Kimberley, and many of her patients will travel there to remain in her care. “The more concerning cases where we are going to have a great deal of unattached patients are Dr. Cutler, Dr.
Mistry and Dr. Fourie,” said Dr. James Heilman, an emergency physician at East Kootenay Regional Hospital.
“In the emergency department, we see about 22,000 patient visits a year. If we have another 3,200 people who come to the emergency department on average three times each, that could increase the amount of patient visits we are seeing by nearly 50 per cent.” Dr. James Heilman “We have 3,200 people who currently have a family physician, and who will not have a family physician come July when these three physicians are either leaving or retiring.” It’s normal for doctors to leave for various reasons, he said. “Dr. Mistry and Dr.
Fourie are moving to be closer to their family, which is completely understandable. Dr. Cutler has had a very long career and he has served our community for many, many years. He has just come to the end of his career. These different things have combined to result in three family physicians leaving. “People leaving communities is a normal part of business; the question is why are we having so much difficulty recruiting new people to replace them.” Physicians who work in the Cranbrook hospital’s emergency department are concerned about the effect on health care in the community as people who no longer have a family doctor are forced to visit the emergency department whenever they require medical attention. “Currently in the emergency department, we see about 22,000 patient visits a year,” said Dr. Heilman.
See DOCTOR , Page 3
TREVOR CRAWLEY
BIRD IN FLIGHT: For the second year in a row, Jon Bird of Calgary is the Olympic Distance winner at the Wasa Triathlon. The 21st edition of the popular endurance race, which draws competitors from all over Western Canada and the U.S., took place Saturday and Sunday, June 14 and 15. See more in SPORTS, Page 7.
City council approved the concept of developing an annual integrated capital program that is based on a 15 year integrated capital plan. At the June 9 meeting, council also approved the use of the 15 year asset management plan in development of future five year financial plans. The 15 year asset management plan was put together by city administration based by priority on community needs and the cost. CAO Wayne Staudt explained that it will allow city staff would use the document as a guide. The document began its life in the hands of engineering staff, but has gone for input to all the city’s department managers. “They’ve all put their heart and soul into this,” Staudt said. “There’s a lot of time and effort that’s gone into this.” He said the document would become a feed document for staff to use to direct projects that they think should come forward in the five year financial plan. “More important, as we move this out and get it out to the public, it gets the public involved in this asset management plan to some extent,” Staudt said.
See ASSET, Page 3
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