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Kamloops taking new approaches to attract doctors

Jim Anderson.
Image Credit: SOURCE/Venture Kamloops

Kamloops is focussing its approach in how it recruits doctors and it appears to be paying off.

Jim Anderson of Venture Kamloops, the arm of the City assigned to attract professionals and businesses, told council this week the group was chasing opportunities in many areas before he got on board. Focussing has resulted in better overall practices and results including physician attraction.

For example, representatives will be attending a major family physician convention in Vancouver and an interactive video is considered very successful so far. One key area right now is a strategy for student retention, to show students studying medicine at Thompson Rivers University they have the opportunities here after training, Anderson says.

Coun. Tina Lange suggested Venture Kamloops offer a 'matchmaking' service so students could meet a potential future wife or husband, which would help to keep them in the community. The idea drew laughs around the table Tuesday afternoon and Anderson commended Lange on her outside-the-box thinking.

“We're expanding our approach," Anderson says. “Our old approach was to rely on doctors coming to town and using the red carpet approach, now we're taking a more proactive approach.”

He says this has to be done because to attract business to the area, top-notch health care must be available.

“One of the questions always asked by potential businesses is 'what's your access to excellent health care?' The facilities available in Kamloops are what you need them to be to attract doctors – we're well positioned we just have to get out there and market ourselves.” Anderson told council.

To contact a reporter for this story, email jstahn@infotelnews.ca or call (250) 819-3723.

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