On Tuesday, May 14, 2024, council voted unanimously to allocate $15,000 from Council Contingencies for a refreshed marketing and recruitment campaign. (Photo: LNN)

By Christian Oldale

City of Lethbridge continuing work to recruit physicians

May 14, 2024 | 2:36 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge City Council is continuing their focus on recruiting and retaining physicians in the city.

On Tuesday, May 14, 2024, council voted unanimously to allocate $15,000 from Council Contingencies for a refreshed marketing and recruitment campaign. The initiative will be in partnership with Alberta Health Services South Zone, Chinook Primary Care Network, Economic Development Lethbridge, and other community partners.

In addition to the new marketing campaign, the motion also directed the City Manager to update the Family Physician Action Plan to include completed initiatives. New initiatives such as advocating for physicians in specialty areas will be added to the plan, which will be reviewed no later than July 2024.

Councillor Jenn Schmidt-Rempel said, “For the past two years, the City of Lethbridge has taken an active role in partnering and advocating for the recruitment and retention of family physicians. Having the appropriate number of family physicians, specialty physicians, and other key health care positions continues to be a priority for our City Council.”

City council previously approved the Family Physician Recruitment Action Plan in 2022, which included advertising showing Lethbridge as a great place to live.

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At the May 14 meeting, City Council authorized the Mayor to write a letter to Health Minister Adriana LaGrange, advocating for specific recruitment efforts in Lethbridge for family physicians as well as physicians in specialty areas, including anesthesiology, gynocology, and emergency medicine, among others.

Mayor Blaine Hyggen says the campaign has been successful, “In 2023, we were collectively successful in recruiting 43 physicians to Lethbridge, 23 of whom are family physicians.”

The City is among the participants of the Southern Alberta Medical Program Working Group who are working to build the framework to train physicians locally.

In Budget 2024, $43 million was announced for the University of Lethbridge’s Rural Medical Teaching School.

READ MORE: Lethbridge gains 28 new physicians in one year

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