Highlights

1. CASPR Conference 2009Panel DiscussionTuesday, April 14thWestern Provinces Recruitment Incentives

2. Physician Recruitment Incentives offered by: Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta British Columbia Yukon Highlights

3. Incentives Pros and Cons Discussion Highlights

4. Thank You Sheila Maclean Wayne Heide Connie Patrick Darlene Befus

5. Manitoba Acknowledgements Government of Manitoba Physician Resource Coordination Office

6. Physician Resource Coordination Office http://www.healthemployment.ca/index.html Manitoba

7. Manitoba Medical Student-Resident Financial Assistance Program • Return of Service (ROS) program which provides funding during training, beginning in 3rd year • Each year of funding requires one year of ROS • 2 components -

8. Manitoba 1. The Educational Assistance Option – Assists medical undergraduates and medical residents during their medical training: • 3rd year - $15,000 – ROS to rural/northern communities • 4th year - $15,000 – ROS to Manitoba • FM residents – one of two years - $20,000 Grant – ROS • Other residency – two years - $20,000/year Grant – ROS • Relocation and temporary housing are common

9. Manitoba 2. The Practice Assistance Option – Enhanced Assists physicians who have established a Family Medicine practice in Manitoba – • Upon completion of postgraduate training , physicians who did not participate in the Educational Assistance Option may be eligible for grants - maximum of $15,000 for each year of full time work in urban communities and $25,000 for each year of full time work in rural communities • ROS to one year commitment

10. Manitoba Residency Sponsorship • Increased provincial support to ensure more Manitoba-trained medical school graduates will be able to pursue a residency in Manitoba if they do not secure a provincial spot through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) • Up to 5 students each year selected

11. Manitoba Medical Licensure Program for International Medical Graduates (MLPIMG) Provincial initiative to bring more foreign-trained physicians to Manitoba. • Increase of seats available from 25 to 35 • Resident salary provided • Relocation costs and temporary housing

12. Pros and Cons Many communities, clinics and health foundations are getting involved and providing a variety of resources – housing, signing bonuses and educational support Incentives are inconsistent province-wide Manitoba

13. Saskatchewan Acknowledgements Government of Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Medical Association

14. Government of Saskatchewan Recruitment Grant Program http://healthcareersinsask.ca Saskatchewan Health Northern/Rural/Hard to Recruit Program Saskatchewan

15. Saskatchewan Health Northern/Rural/Hard to Recruit Program Provides physicians who are living in Saskatchewan with a Northern/Rural “work” or “work & reside” grant in exchange for a ROS commitment. Provides physicians who are relocating from outside of Saskatchewan with a Northern/Rural “work” or a Hard to Recruit Grant in exchange for a ROS commitment. Saskatchewan

16. Rural Work Grant/Northern Work Grant Grant of $5,000 - $15,000 Offered to a new graduate or who relocates to Saskatchewan Accepts a position in a rural or northern community Meets all eligibility requirements Commits to provide an additional 1- 2 years ROS Saskatchewan

17. Rural Work & Reside Grant/Northern Work & Reside Grant Grant of $5,000 - $10,000 Resident of Saskatchewan in an urban or rural health region Establishes primary residence in same health region they are working in Saskatchewan

18. Rural Work & Reside Grant/Northern Work & Reside Grant - Continued • Accepts a position in a rural or northern health region • Meets all eligibility requirements • Commits to an additional (consecutive) 1 – 2 years ROS

19. Saskatchewan Hard to Recruit Grant • Grant of 5,000 - $10,000 for positions designated by the Saskatchewan Health Region, Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region or the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency • New graduates from inside or outside of Saskatchewan • Who relocates to Saskatchewan

20. Hard to Recruit Grant – Continued • Accepts a position designated as “hard to recruit” • Meets eligibility requirements • Commits to an additional (consecutive) 1 – 2 years ROS

21. Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Medical Association http://www.sma.sk.ca/programs/index.aspx Rural and Regional Physician Programs Undergraduate Medical Student Bursary

22. Saskatchewan Undergraduate Medical Student Bursary • Provides bursaries to full time students in years 2, 3, or 4 of their undergraduate medical studies • Bursary support $15,000/year to a max. of 3 years of funding

23. Undergraduate Medical Student Bursary - Continued • Upon licensure required to provide FT medical services in rural, northern or regional Saskatchewan • Commitment for 1 year of bursary funding – 8 months in a rural community, 16 months in a regional centre or 6 months service in the SMA Rural Relief Program

24. Medical Resident Bursary Provides bursaries to family medicine residents who agree to provide service to a rural, regional or northern community Bursary support of $25,000/year to a max. of 2 years Saskatchewan

25. Medical Resident Bursary – Continued • Upon licensure, required to provide FT services in rural, northern, or regional communities • Commitment for 1 year of bursary funding – 1 year in a rural community, 2 years in a regional centre or 6 months in the SMA Rural Relief Program

26. Saskatchewan Special Needs Loan Program Provides assistance to medical students and residents, training to practice in under-serviced areas in rural, regional or northern communities who are faced with difficult/insurmountable financial situations. • Enrolled at the College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan to assist them in completing their studies • In return, recipients are required to repay these amounts to the SMAs Committee on Rural & Regional Practice

27. Saskatchewan Other incentives: Interest-free loans – • Saskatchewan Health Region & X Health Region - $30,000 repayable after 3 years • Sunrise Health Region (for Specialists) - $100,000 repayable after 3 years • Five Hills Health Region – provided on a case by case basis

28. Saskatchewan Other incentives: • Rural communities vary – locum incentives include paid flights, accommodations, use of rental car, guaranteed daily income for Specialists, etc

29. Saskatchewan Pros: • The more incentives that are offered the better chance of success • FPs appear to be seeking a turnkey operation or established practice, so a benefit to offer this • Cost of living is less than in urban centres

30. Saskatchewan Cons: • Recruits want to live in larger centres with more services and specialties – we have to be more creative/flexible with incentives • Specialists may not be able to work full scope in rural/smaller centres • Difficult for new physicians starting an independent practice in small communities

31. Cons: Continued • Finding partners for practices where the physicians will work well together • Licensing/registration and immigration time frames may deter recruitment process – does the RHA pay fast-tracking and CV assessment fees to expedite the process?

32. Alberta Acknowledgements Alberta Rural Physician Action Plan (RPAP) Alberta Medical Association University of Alberta University of Calgary

33. Alberta Alberta Rural Physician Action Plan (RPAP) http://www.rpap.ab.ca Provides comprehensive programs for the education, recruitment and retention of physicians in rural practice

34. Alberta • Includes reimbursement of recruitment expenses and honoraria during the period of assessment • Royal College re-entry positions • Enrichment Programming • Innovation/Retention grants

35. Alberta Financial Support for Medical Students • RPAP - Rural Medical Student Bursary • RPAP - Rural Medical School Award • Northern Alberta Development Bursary for Medical Students • AMA Section of Rural Medicine Michael Tarrant Scholarship • Scholarship Connections

36. Alberta RPAP – Rural Medical Student Bursary • Full tuition for each year of medical studies • Available in any year of their medical degree • Includes a 5 year ROS agreement • Jointly funded by Alberta Health and Wellness and Alberta Advanced Education and Technology

37. Alberta RPAP Rural Medical School Award • Provides $5,000 for each year of medical studies • Assists with tuition, accommodation, living and/or travel expenses • Available in any year of their medical degree

38. Alberta University of Alberta/University of Calgary – Rural Initiatives Program • Formed by the Faculty of Medicine with funding provided by the RPAP • Includes the Rural Rotation Program and the Enhancement of Continuing Education Program

39. Alberta Rural Rotation Program • Provides medical students and residents with the opportunity to experience rural medical practice • Provides rural and regional physicians with the opportunity to participate in the educational process

40. Alberta • Rotation expenses are reimbursed to minimize the extra costs the trainee incurs while completing a rural or regional rotation • Covers costs for travel, accommodation and limited food expenses

41. Alberta Enhancement of Continuing Education Program • Intent is to strengthen existing health care facilities in non-urban communities • Work with rural physicians to meet the needs of rural Alberta

42. Alberta RPAP Community Recruitment and Retention Grants • Under review for 2009 • Ideas and programs to promote recruitment and retention of rural physicians targeted at the local level

43. Alberta RPAP Recruitment Expense Program • Under review for 2009 • Purpose is to support rural/regional physician recruitment by reimbursing some of the expenses incurred by the Alberta Health Services (AHS) and newly recruited physicians

44. Alberta • RPAP will reimburse the AHS, the recruiting practice, or the recruit for interview expenses • Covers airfare, accommodation, ground transportation, and meals to a maximum of $3,000 per interviewed recruit • The RPAP will provide an honorarium to a newly recruited rural physician required by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) to undergo a period of assessment as a condition of approving licensure and additional privileges

45. Alberta Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) Fast track program for Permanent Residency in Canada

46. British Columbia Joint Incentive Programs for Rural Physicians in British Columbia

47. British Columbia Acknowledgements Government of British Columbia http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/pcb/rural.html British Columbia Medical Association http://www.bcma.ca

48. The Rural Physician Program Programs are designed to meet the needs of rural physicians in terms of financial compensation, educational opportunities and locum assistance in areas designated by the RSA. FP4BC Provides funding to attract newly qualified family physicians to establish their practice in rural BC. British Columbia

49. British Columbia The Rural Physician Program Rural Retention Program • Annual retention premiums for physicians working in eligible rural communities • 30% of isolation points assessed paid as a flat fee, 70% paid as a fee premium • Based on a communities isolation points – 4-30% FFS billing

50. British Columbia Isolation Allowance Fund Available to physicians providing necessary medical services in eligible RSA communities with fewer than 4 physicians, no hospital and who do not received on call, call-back or doctor of the day payments.