Nova Scotia Health Authority officials say they’re communicating with a physician who is interested in coming to the Strait Richmond Hospital in Evanston.
Greg Boone, spokesperson for the authority, says they never give specifics or a timeline until they have all the paperwork and details covered and the physician is actually practicing, as they try to avoid a false sense of hope if something falls through.
He says they are however very hopeful at this stage.
Boone tells The Hawk NSHA officials are working with, and hope to grow their relationship with, members of the Richmond Co. Physician Recruitment Committee.
“We need to continue to discuss and to continue to engage with that group because they have some very specific ideas and some suggestions,” he says. “They’re willing to do a lot on the ground as a community group to help show that the county is a great place.”
Boone says recruitment is always happening; it doesn’t just start when a physician leaves the area or retires.
He says they explore other options to fight the emergency department closures at the hospital while there remains a staffing shortage.
“We also look at trying to find help through a combination of travelling physicians and physicians who are working in other emergency departments in community hospitals on the island or even in the regional emergency departments.”
Boone says they use a lot of aggressive but focused methods to recruit physicians.
Photo credit: NSHA