麻豆视频

Almost exactly one year ago Carlyle and surrounding area was plagued by physician recruitment difficulties and the temporary closure of the Arcola Hospital. Causing much stress for many in the area this issue was one everyone wanted resolved instantly; however, although the need for healthcare practitioners was high, the solutions were not as simple as some thought they should be.

This year is a drastically different situation. With hard work from the communities, the Moose Mountain Health Care Recruitment Committee, Sun Country Health Region, Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA), and SaskDocs, healthcare has taken on a completely new look in the area.

Sun Country CEO Marga Cugnet was pleased to explain that currently there is a doctor located in Redvers, two in Arcola, as well as two doctors in Carlyle along with a nurse practitioner at this practice, but Sun Country is also in the midst of finalizing details with two more doctors. One physician is to arrive in Redvers soon and a third practitioner for Arcola who should be arriving at the beginning of March.

"It's [recruitment] going really well for that area," Cugnet stated. "With Dr. Khan starting now I think we should be good."

"Now we just have to focus on retaining them and making sure they stay happy."

All doctors will share on-call duties at the Arcola Hospital, while performing their daily tasks as family practitioners out of their practices.

Though the SIPPA process does take time it has proven to be beneficial not only for the communities looking to recruit physicians, but for physicians looking for work in Canada as Dr. Azeez Khan, a new doctor in Arcola, explained.

Having completed his schooling in India, Khan then found work there as well.

"I graduated from school in India and I worked there for four years," Khan explained. "I then moved to Saudi Arabia, a very hot place, for nine years and then came to a very cold place called Saskatchewan."

Much of his wife Habiba's family was already in Canada while the Khan's were living in Saudi Arabia and during this time she pursued moving to Canada. Hoping to join her family here, the Khan's eventually applied for immigration and received approval in 2011, yet, they did not move immediately.

"I already had a job in Saudi Arabia, so I went back to continue the contract and in the meantime wrote the medical consult exams and all those sorts of things," Khan explained.

Not wanting to leave Saudi Arabia without a job already lined up in Canada he eventually came across the SIPPA program.

"In the meantime there was this program started in 2012 in Saskatchewan, SIPPA, so I started to apply and explore the possibility of continuing the same family practice of what I was doing for more than 10 years," Khan explained.

"So, I think that's the only reason we moved to Saskatchewan was because of the SIPPA program."

Through his contacts with SIPPA and internet research, Dr. Khan and his family, including five-year-old Adil, decided to move to Arcola.

"Arcola, being as my brother and sister are in the U.S., is in a nice place," Khan said as he will be able to visit them.

In addition to living closer to family by locating themselves near the border the Khan's main objective was to find a good school which Adil would attend. Following research on-line, Arcola School became their choice.

Though the Khan's have only been in Arcola for a couple of weeks and Khan only began practicing on Monday, they have been in the province for five months.

Included within the SIPPA program is a three-month practicum doctors within the process need to pass in order to practice in the province.

This is something Khan feels is a smart way to acclimatize people to Saskatchewan and is thankful he found the opportunity to come to Arcola through this program.

"I would like to thank the Minister of Health, the College of Medicine, and SIPPA for the way they are conducting the physician program and the way they are giving us, a physician from outside, a chance to explore for three months, that is very, very helpful for us," Khan explained.

It was during this three months Khan had in Esterhazy that he realized the importance of SIPPA to Saskatchewan and how he could make a difference.

"I worked in Esterhazy and met so many patients, and many patients they have a very long waiting list," Khan stated. "SIPPA will be a big change in healthcare for Saskatchewan and I personally believe that because with the amount of physicians they want to come and start their practice, and the number of physician this province needs, I think SIPPA is the only way to fill that deficiency in a short time."

Able to utilize his skills and meet a calling from a community in need, Khan looks forward to working in Arcola.

"When we came and met Dr. Morin and also came to see Arcola, we really liked the place, the community, and the clinic is quite amazing," Khan said.

"I'm very excited to start."