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February 28, 2021 - 3:06 PM
While physician shortages are reported across the province, some Kelowna and Lake Country medical clinics are actually bolstering their staff roster.
Kiffer Walker, co-owner of DGA Health Services Ltd., oversees the Turtle Bay Medical Clinic in Lake Country and said they've seen a steady stream of physicians coming to the area and joining their clinics in the last year.
“There’s definitely a shortage of physicians in the Okanagan, generally speaking, of family physicians,” he said.
The clinic has hired two new doctors for the Lake Country office, raising the total number of physician to 10.
Hillside Medical Clinic, which Kiffer also co-owns, is also accepting new patients as a doctor was recently hired.
With DGA Health Services Ltd. managing the administrative side of the clinics, the doctors are able to have a better work/life balance, he said. In other medical clinics, doctors have to share the burden of both practicing and maintaining their clinics books, etc..
“To be a family doctor today, in this province and this country, is a tough job. There’s a ton of administrative burden that’s on their plates that’s not necessarily (to) do with an encounter at the clinic... We’ve done a pretty good job of offloading that onto our staff,” Walker said.
A third clinic overseen by DGA Health Services Ltd. was opened in Kelowna last week at 3039 Pandosy Street, right by Lakeview Market, he said.
“We’ve hired two doctors in there so far and we’re working on one more,” he said, adding the clinic is also accepting new patients.
To apply for a doctor in the Central Okanagan, visit the Division of Family Practice's website.
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