BATTLEFORDS — The president of the Saskatchewan Medical Association, Dr. Annette Epp, was in North Battleford on May 30 to hear what concerns physicians had to voice here in the Battlefords as she toured the province during the SMA's annual tour.
"It's a very busy group of doctors in (the) community ... I think whoever wasn't working in emergency or at the hospital was probably at the event," Dr. Epp said, noting that the turnout at the event closed to the public was 'phenomenal,' with anywhere from 15 to 20 physicians in attendance.
"They're facing so many pressures, as so many doctors are these days," Epp said, noting that physicians in the Battlefords voiced their concerns over increasing wait lists, the burden of work, decreasing resources and attraction and retention.
Dr. Epp told the News Optimist/SASKTODAY.ca, that the SMA's annual presidents tour is traditionally held in the fall, but four stops on the tour are being held in May and June, which include: Prince Albert, Swift Current, and the Battlefords, with Regina coming in the next few weeks.
According to information from the SMA, members will be asked what they view as priorities as the organization proceeds with negotiations with the Ministry of Health on a new contract in the future, as the previous five-year contract expired on March 31, 2022, though it remains in effect until a new contract is ratified.
And across the province, Dr. Epp noted that several familiar concerns continue to come to the fore.
"...[physicians are] very under-resourced and overextended, and (there are) big worries of retaining physicians and other health workers in communities and being burdened with so much work," Dr. Epp said.
"Our current priories really are to begin the process of moving to a better model of care for family medicine."
The SMA has been advocating for changes in family medicine, which the provincial government has recognized with a commitment to developing a new made-in-Saskatchewan funding model for family physicians.
"...[this is so] we can support physicians more wholesomely so that they can provide the kind of care they're trained to provide."
