ESTEVAN — As Estevan continues to experience challenges related to physician shortages, efforts are ongoing to attract and retain medical professionals to provide essential health-care services to the community, says the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).
Currently, 13 family physicians practise out of Estevan's clinics and hospital, but the departure of one physician and the need for specialized care remain significant hurdles.
Based on information collected from the St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation's website and a recent update, practising out of the foundation's medical clinic are Dr. Horri, Estevan Medical Group; Dr. Tahbaz and Dr. M. Rokn, Southern Sun Medical Group; Dr. Adeboye and Dr. Fazel, Estevan Family Health Practice; Dr. Kamel and Dr. Eldin, Family & Walk-In Clinic; Dr. A. Arthur and Dr. Abdelnour, Estevan City Clinic; Dr. V. Prabhu, family physician; Dr. Sabaa and Dr. Fatoorechi; and Dr. K.M. Sheikh who specializes in general surgery, endoscopy, and family medicine. Dr. Tsoi practises out of the Estevan Primary Medical Centre in the No Frills building.
The most recent arrivals, Drs. Abdelnour and Fazel, began practicing in Estevan in August 2024. A third physician, recruited through the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) program, is expected to arrive in October. This will temporarily boost the number of physicians in Estevan to 14. Still, the situation will change, with Dr. Adeboye preparing to leave later this fall, again shrinking the roster of local doctors.
The challenge of balancing physician workloads and providing sufficient medical coverage in communities like Estevan is ongoing, said James Winkel, communications lead for the SHA.
"A targeted number of physicians to cover a particular area is difficult to define," Winkel explained. "The SHA is continuously engaging with physicians and system partners to ensure it has an adequate supply of physicians to provide timely access to high-quality health-care services while still achieving a manageable call schedule and work-life balance for the physicians and their families."
The SHA says they continue to work with various partners to bring more health-care professionals to Estevan.
"The SHA and Ministry of Health are diligently working with stakeholders, including physician partners, SHA staff, senior leadership, the Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA), individual communities, the University of Saskatchewan's (U of S) College of Medicine, and the Saskatchewan Healthcare Recruitment Agency (SHRA)," Winkel said.
Recruitment efforts go beyond the province and even the country. The SHA is promoting positions across Canada, the United States, and overseas in an attempt to fill gaps in the rural health-care system. Competing for doctors, Saskatchewan offers various incentives.
The Rural Physician Incentive Program, designed to draw physicians into rural communities like Estevan, offers up to $200,000 over five years to new doctors entering rural practice, Winkel noted. For specialists, the province has implemented the Specialist Recruitment Incentive Program, which provides an additional $30,000 to physicians who agree to establish a practice in Saskatchewan for at least 36 months.
In addition, a new physician services agreement signed in 2024 between the Government of Saskatchewan and the SMA provides significant investments in physician compensation, benefits and systemic improvements, he noted. Eligible family physicians can now earn up to $144,000 annually in additional earnings.
While recruitment efforts continue, there remain critical gaps in medical services in Estevan, particularly in obstetrical care. St. Joseph's Hospital in Estevan has been unable to offer full obstetrical services since August 2021, requiring patients to seek care in other communities.
"Obstetrical services at St. Joseph's Hospital remain unavailable at this time unless delivery is imminent," said Winkel. "Patients requiring obstetrical services in Estevan and surrounding areas should continue to discuss their birth plan with their care provider in advance of their due date to determine an appropriate alternate location for labour and delivery."
All obstetrical patients who present to St. Joseph's Hospital will still receive an initial assessment in the emergency room, but those who require more advanced care will be transferred to other facilities. SHA and Emmanuel Health are working collaboratively to recruit the necessary physicians who can provide these services. However, according to Winkel, there is still no timeline for when full obstetrical services will be reinstated.
"It is dependent upon the successful recruitment of physicians who provide obstetrical services," Winkel said. "Recruitment of physicians who provide obstetrical services is required to safely and effectively resume obstetrical services at St. Joseph's Hospital."
This gap in care is symptomatic of the broader challenges rural communities like Estevan face in securing specialized health-care providers. Despite intensive recruitment efforts, positions remain unfilled due to a global shortage of family physicians and specialists, he noted.
"The challenge of finding a family physician is not specific to Estevan," said Winkel. "Access to family medicine specialists is a challenge facing many communities nationally and internationally."
For Estevan residents losing their family doctors or those without one, the search for medical care can be daunting. Winkel reminded people the SHA provides several resources, including the HealthLine 811 service, where licensed health-care professionals can assess symptoms and offer advice on how to best access medical care. While not a replacement for a local physician, this service is a stop-gap measure for those in need of medical attention.
To ease the burden on existing physicians and improve health care access, the Ministry of Health is exploring ways to expand the scope of practice for pharmacists and nurse practitioners. Winkel pointed out that recent scope-of-practice changes for pharmacists and nurses are expected to reduce wait times for primary care services and provide more options for obtaining routine medical care.
Additionally, the Ministry of Health has implemented a series of long-term strategies aimed at addressing the physician shortage, including increasing the number of medical students and residency seats at the U of S College of Medicine. The Graduate Retention Program offers rebates of up to $20,000 in tuition fees for graduates who choose to live and work in Saskatchewan.
Retention of physicians, once recruited, is just as important as recruitment itself. Saskatchewan has developed programs like the Continuing Medical Education (CME) Fund, which helps physicians with the cost of their ongoing education, and a Parental Leave Program that provides up to 20 weeks of benefits to licensed physicians who are taking maternity, paternity or adoption-related leave.
