File photo taken outside Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge. (File photo: LNN)

By Christian Oldale

Alberta Health Services looking to add more OB-GYNs to South Zone

Jul 21, 2023 | 2:22 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – More obstetricians and gynecologists (OB-GYNs) are being sought in Lethbridge and other communities in the Alberta Health Services (AHS) South Zone.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith issued a mandate letter to Health Minister Adriana LaGrange on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. One of the priorities was adding more obstetrics doctors to communities in need, including Lethbridge and Fort McMurray.

READ MORE: Alberta moves to decentralize health care delivery, 15 years after centralizing it

Lethbridge has seen a shortage of OB-GYNs over the last year, with some on parental leave, some closing their practices, and some leaving for other jobs. Lethbridge currently has two OB-GYNs working, and a third still on parental leave, according to AHS South Zone Medical Director Dr. Aaron Low.

Low said despite the shortage, he is optimistic that Lethbridge and the South Zone will be able to bring in more OB-GYNs, due to the needs present in the area.

Week-in-review: Municipal election changes, a leadership debate and green bins

15m ago

What's Happening in Lethbridge this weekend: April 26, 2024

22h ago

Week-in-review: Federal Budget, water agreements and success for tourism industry

Apr 20, 2024

He explained, “We deliver about 2,300 babies a year at Chinook Regional Hospital. That’s a lot of babies for one obstetrician, it’s a busy site. To our favour, that’s a good place. Obstetricians want to come and work, this is what they are trained to do, and so for a lot of good reasons, it’s an attractive place to bring people.”

Low added that AHS is looking far and wide in order to bring in the OB-GYNs to the area. He said most of the obstetricians that are being sought out are in Alberta, but AHS has also been reaching out across the country, in the United States as well as trying to attract international medical graduates.

However, Low said they are looking to make sure the obstetricians who come to Lethbridge can stay long-term. He stated, “What we want is to get people who are actually going to come here, make [the] South Zone and Lethbridge their home, and develop a practice here.”

Low added, “We can recruit, but unless we actually retain physicians that are going to stay and practice, then we’re going to be in the same situation in a short period of time.”

Another large focus for AHS in the South Zone has been to strengthen pre-natal care. AHS set up their own pre-natal clinic to provide care and move the operations out of the obstetricians’ private offices.

Low said AHS actively has 10 to 15 obstetricians they are talking to about coming to the South Zone.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

—

If you have a news tip, question or concern, please email Lethbridge.newsroom@Pattisonmedia.com.