Calls from All Over Canada Flood BC Mayor’s Office Regarding ‘Unconventional’ Doctor Recruitment Plan
A pioneering approach by a British Columbia community to address its family doctor scarcity by hiring physicians as municipal employees is generating interest nationwide, according to Colwood Mayor Doug Kobayashi.
The mayor revealed that the community has successfully hired its first family doctor to work in a city-operated medical clinic. Plans are in motion to hire an additional seven doctors as part of this innovative pilot project, the first of its kind in Canada.
These family doctors will be treated as employees of the community, complete with full medical benefits, vacation time, and a pension plan, stated Kobayashi.
Originally viewed as a “crazy” proposal when introduced last year, the plan has now caught the attention of other communities grappling with family doctor shortages across the country, as noted by Kobayashi in a recent interview.
According to Kobayashi, the Colwood initiative is particularly attractive to family doctors because it offers them a supportive team environment focused on well-being rather than the administrative responsibilities of running a clinic.
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While the doctors will function as Colwood employees, the program’s funding will originate from provincial revenues collected by the clinic via the Ministry of Health, similar to how doctors in other clinics bill for their services and support staff.
Kobayashi revealed that he initially introduced the concept to the B.C. government in the summer of 2023, and it was swiftly approved for further development.
After submitting the plans to B.C.’s Ministry of Health on a Monday morning, Kobayashi received a call from former health minister Adrian Dix by noon, expressing interest in discussing the initiative.
Colwood estimates that each new family doctor can serve approximately 1,250 local residents, with the potential to reach up to 10,000 patient connections once the program is fully operational.
“It’s been quite the journey, but we’ve reached this point, and I’m staying true to my word,” Kobayashi affirmed. “Many thought I was crazy, which I am. I’m an unconventional thinker. But this approach just makes sense.”
Dr. Cassandra Stiller-Moldovan, the clinic’s inaugural family doctor, is relocating with her family from London, Ont., to Vancouver Island.
Stiller-Moldovan expressed excitement about practicing medicine on the West Coast without the added burden of managing an office while shoveling snow in Ontario on Friday.
For her, the transition represents a perfect fit both professionally and personally, allowing her to focus on patient care. She stated, “To me, this was an obvious choice.”
Stiller-Moldovan also noted the appeal of solely focusing on her role as a doctor without the stress of handling overhead costs and bills.
At the Colwood clinic, she will receive benefits such as paid vacations, sick leave, and maternity support from her employer.
Doctors of BC President Ahmer Karimuddin commended the Colwood initiative as a bold move amid the ongoing physician shortages.
He emphasized the need for communities to explore innovative approaches like Colwood’s model instead of relying on traditional methods of setting up practices in commercial spaces.
“I applaud the City of Colwood for taking a courageous step in trying something unconventional,” Karimuddin stated. “Throughout Canada, we are witnessing a shortage of family doctors, and we must seek fresh solutions to address this issue.”
Doctors of BC represents over 16,000 physicians, residents, and medical students in British Columbia.
