Incentives Only One Component Of Physician Recruitment

Financial incentives are just part of the solution to attracting and retaining physicians, according to the president of the New Brunswick Medical Society.

Nova Scotia is offering physicians up to $125,000 in incentives as part of a new recruitment strategy to address a shortage of physicians.

But Dr. Mark MacMillan said money is often not the most important factor a physician is considering.

“It’s often things like community support, having the flexibility to have a practice that they are participating in,” MacMillan said in an interview.

According to the Department of Health, current recruitment incentives in New Brunswick range from $20,000 to $80,000 for eligible physicians.

Those who are willing to work in rural areas — defined as 40 kilometres outside of Saint John, Fredericton and Moncton — are eligible for the higher amounts.

MacMillan, who grew up in Cape Breton and was recruited to practice in Fredericton, said many people do not understand that physicians are constantly being recruited.

“Anything we can do to make New Brunswick more attractive to potential physicians who want to come here and also to retain the physicians that we have is beneficial,” he said.

MacMillan said the recruitment process also needs to focus on medical students and residents from New Brunswick who are training here or elsewhere.

In addition, he said the province needs to continue to “robustly improve” its health care system.

“If a physician wants to come and practice in a particular area of medicine, we need to make sure that we have the resources, the up-to-date facilities, the up-to-date equipment that physician needs to practice appropriately,” said MacMillan.

New Brunswick’s regional health authorities also need to have a strong presence on social media to attract more physicians, he said.

“Many physicians are on their mobile phones and looking to things on social media, so if our province keeps popping up as a top ad — whether that’s on LinkedIn or Instagram or whatever the case may be — we’re going to see more people click those links and investigate what’s available here in New Brunswick.”