'It makes me angry': Saskatoon clinic shuts down amid family doctor shortage
Krysta Arsenault has been a patient at Broadway Family Physicians since it’s been open but walked out the doors for the last time on Wednesday.
Arsenault says her doctor delivered both her babies and was disappointed to hear the clinic would be closing, especially knowing there’s a family doctor shortage across the country.
“We have huge issues with doctors in this city, and it’s not the doctors themselves,” she told CTV News outside the clinic.
A voicemail for the clinic says its last day is Wednesday. The office manager declined an interview with CTV News and gave no reasons for the closure.
The voicemail says some of the family doctors are retiring while others are leaving family medicine for another practice.
Arsenault has been hunting for a new family doctor but hasn’t managed to find anybody, leaving her “very disappointed.”
She says the owners are the ones at Broadway Family Physicians who are deciding to close the clinic, not the doctors.
“It makes me angry, forsure it does. I am mad at the owners, don’t know who they are, so it’s faceless, right? But I also think it’s a bigger issue,” Arsenault said.
Doctor Decline
According to data from the College of Family Physicians in Canada, Saskatchewan is one of the provinces that lost the most family doctors per capita in the last couple of years.
Between 2019 and 2021, the province lost 65 family doctors, a loss of 6.4 per cent.
“I think it backups the reality of what we’ve been seeing as clinicians and what patients have been experiencing,” said family physician Dr. Adam Ogieglo.
Ogieglo says the healthcare system hasn’t been able to respond to the challenges that exist in operating a family practice, adding the problem will spread to walk-in clinics.
“I think that’s where we’re going to see a lot of these unattached patients go to seek out care, so there’s going to be longer wait times as people use those services,” Ogieglo said.
Dr. Andries Muller, president of the Saskatchewan College of Family Physicians says the data doesn’t specify why the number of family doctors is declining, but says team-based care to offload the work from physicians is something that would help.
“Many of them feel overwhelmed and overburdened, so they’re slowing down their practices. If (they’re) practicing five days a week, they’re starting to practice three or four days a week.”
During Question Period on Wednesday, Premier Scott Moe defended the province’s actions.
“This past year there's been an increase of 107 physicians across the province of Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker, 51 family physicians, 56 specialists working in our healthcare system," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
'Secret report' or standard research? B.C. government addresses safe supply allegations
B.C.’s premier and one of his top lieutenants are pushing back against allegations by the Official Opposition that he covertly commissioned a report into the diversion of safe supply drugs onto the streets.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
She was too sick for a traditional transplant. So she received a pig kidney and a heart pump
Doctors have transplanted a pig kidney into a New Jersey woman who was near death, part of a dramatic pair of surgeries that also stabilized her failing heart.
What Canadians think of the latest Liberal budget
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.