Casselman, Ont. struggling to attract doctors because it can't offer same bonuses as neighbouring communities
CTV
The municipality of Casselman, Ont. is struggling to replace three doctors who recently left a local clinic. Officials say the community cannot access grants other rural areas have to attract medical professionals.
The municipality of Casselman, Ont. is struggling to replace three doctors who recently left a local clinic.
The Casselman Medical Clinic had six physicians, but in the last five months, one retired, one returned to his home country, and another moved to a nearby town for a better opportunity.
That's left more than 2,000 patients in the area east of Ottawa without a family doctor, and the clinic says it is at a disadvantage when it comes to attracting more.
Clinic owner Jennifer Arenas says recruiting new doctors has been a challenge.
"We've had no luck being able to recruit physicians," she said. "We are fighting against clinics in locations that are able to offer incentive grants."
She's referring to the rurality index for Ontario (RIO), a certain score based on population and how long it takes to travel to basic and advanced referral centres. The province says it is meant to ensure funding is specifically targeted to northern and very rural communities. Grants can be used to give doctors bonuses of $80,000 or more to work in specific remote areas of the province.
Arenas says Casselman just barely misses the mark to qualify.
