Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Issue 35
SERVING THE ENERGY CITY SINCE 1903
www.estevanmercury.ca
Mailing No. 10769 | Publication No. 40069240
Winter Wonderland fun Rachel Duncan squeezes some vinegar on her baking soda snowmen at the Winter Wonderland event, hosted by the Estevan Area Literacy Group, at the Estevan Public Library on Dec. 29. Local young people enjoyed a variety of activities during the afternoon. For more on the event and the literacy group, see page A7.
Hospital continues to recruit physicians By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca
St. Joseph’s Hospital continues with its efforts to recruit new physicians to the community. Speaking with the Mercury last week, executive director Greg Hoffort said the current count is at 10 physicians, with eight family physicians and two specialists. One of the specialists sees patients, while a couple of family physicians are capable of handling surgeries or anesthetic. “Physician recruitment is an ongoing effort,” said
Hoffort. “It seems to never stop. Given our circumstances, we’ve had a little bit of success, but we’re still looking for sure. “We are short of where we would like to be in terms of physician numbers in Estevan, but having said that, our existing physicians are doing an admirable job of making sure our emergency room is covered and doing all they can to meet the needs of the patients in Estevan.” Two more family physicians have been recruited to come to Estevan, but they likely won’t be here until the end of March or early April.
Hoffort said he would like to see a couple more physicians come to Estevan, on top of the ones who have committed to come. But there isn’t a magic number for how many he would like to have in Estevan. The hospital has been advertising nationally and even internationally to recruit physicians. It is also in regular communication with the Physician Recruitment Agency, also known as Saskdocs, as well as the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment. “We are sending correspondence to all of their
residence programs that we can,” said Hoffort. “We have been on recruiting trips to different areas. We are not leaving a stone unturned.” Many communities across Canada are in a similar situation to Estevan, creating a very competitive situation. “We experienced a couple of key issues this past summer that led us to where we are,” said Hoffort. The hospital has not received any word on the future of Dr. Mehdi Horri, whose licence was revoked by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan revoked, following an act of
misconduct that happened when he was practising in Ontario. Hoffort doesn’t know when, or if, Horri’s licence will be reinstated. Hoffort hopes Horri would be willing to practise in Estevan again, but that has not been discussed. “It’s really out of our hands and out of his hands,” said Hoffort. “It’s something that the college has dealt with, and if they’re going to reinstate him, it is their decision, and it’s something we’ll have to wait for.” Also, Dr. Andre Pehlivan left the community on short notice in the summer.
Hoffort noted both had large patient loads. He hopes the new Saskatchewan Health Authority will help with physician shortage issues facing Estevan and other communities. Hoffort believes the authority’s mandate of providing healthcare, regardless of location, is encouraging. “We’re open to help from all avenues, and we’re certainly would like to see what they have to offer, or if there’s something they can do to help us get through this and improve, I would look forward to anything they have to offer,” said Hoffort.
City still waiting for Civic insurance report By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca
The City of Estevan continues to wait for the insurance report that it says is needed to reopen the Civic Auditorium. Estevan city council voted at its meeting on Dec. 18 to reopen the 60-year-old arena, as long as it will be covered for liability. The Civic has been closed since Nov. 7 over concerns regarding its structural soundness. Mayor Roy Ludwig said even though many businesses
were closed last week and people were on holidays due to Christmas vacation, he was hoping the city would have the insurance report by now. “I guess we’ll have to be patient, but I’m optimistic we’ll get the necessary insurance,” said Ludwig. City management has been in contact with the insurance company, Ludwig said, and the local broker tasked with the insurance is waiting on the head office from Toronto, who will make the final decision. If the city does get in-
surance coverage, Ludwig expects premiums would increase. “We don’t know at this time what that would be,” said Ludwig. “It would be speculation, but it’s probably fair to say that the premiums might have to increase, even though with these two structural engineering reports, it would appear, if you follow them through as far as what’s needed to be done, and if that work is done, I would think then it should be sound so we shouldn’t have to pay a premium.”
The city won’t reopen the Civic, or do the necessary work on the building, if it doesn’t receive the insurance coverage. Once the insurance does come through, then the necessary work can begin to get the building open again, including the glulam columns that have settled and cross-bracing rods, which are in high-tension mode or are too loose, and need to be repaired. The city issued a request for proposals for the work on the Civic. The deadline to submit a pro-
posal was Dec. 29. “We’ll need the engineering firm to oversee the job to make sure it’s done properly, and … to get the necessary quotes to actually do the work from the contractors, and then to oversee the contractors,” said Ludwig. The work should only take a few days. “I would think, right away, in the beginning of January, the necessary work can be done, or at least started on, and we don’t see that taking – at least from the discussion with the one structural
engineer – … much longer than a week to do all of the rods, and get all of that done,” said Ludwig. Once the column work and the rods are finished, the Civic would be able to reopen. The ice plant and other aspects of the operations were kept going once the arena was closed, so it would be ready if it opens again this hockey season. Further work will be needed, such as an in-depth structural assessment, but Ludwig said it can take place once the Civic is open again.
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