The family doctor shortage has hit crisis levels in Lake Cowichan, where three of five practicing physicians have announced plans to quit this year.
A sign posted at the Brookside Medical Clinic says Dr. Gary Toth will leave the practice in March, while doctors Clara Iturra and Pedro Jara Villarroel will leave in August.
That will leave the small town and surrounding areas, which has a population of about 7,000, with only one full-time doctor and a part-time general practitioner.
“It’s still very concerning for the community, it’s a lot of uncertainty,” said Lake Cowichan Mayor Ross Forrest. “It’s an aging community and people need the health care.”
The imminent loss of the doctors leaves only morning walk-in services at nearby Lakeside Medical Clinic, which isn’t accepting new patients.
But the Ministry of Health says it is actively trying to fill the positions.
“Island Health currently has two advertisements posted on the Island Health and Health Match BC websites for three family physician positions at Lake Cowichan,” the ministry said in a statement. “We continue to invest in incentives to attract physicians to practice in rural B.C. communities. This includes a new practice readiness assessment program introduced to us in 2015/16.”
Through that program, the province says the Cowichan Valley will see the arrival of two new doctors in February and two UBC graduates in July.
One doctor in the Cowichan Valley is currently accepting new patients as well, the province says.
Lake Cowichan is no stranger to a doctor shortage. In 2013, the community went from three full-time doctors to none for an entire month, forcing the Brookside Medical Clinic to close and leaving patients with no other option but to travel elsewhere for medical treatment.
If replacements aren’t found by the time the three doctors leave the town, the clinic may have to close again.
With a report from CTV Vancouver Island's Jessica Lepp.
