More people lose primary care in the Sault, but help is on the way

More physician retirements mean thousands of people in Sault Ste. Marie will be losing access to primary care, but there is hope new recruits are on the way.

The Sault’s Group Health Centre is losing two more physicians due to retirement, meaning 3,500 people are losing access to primary health care.

Dr. Jodie Stewart, the CEO of the Algoma District Medical Group, said the retirements are not a surprise.

“They were they were part of the physicians that we projected last year would be retiring soon,” Stewart said.

She said the 3,500 de-rostered patients have been sent letters notifying them of the change. They will now be moved to Group Health’s Access Care Clinic.

Stewart said she hopes they won’t be there long. That’s in part because the two doctors had delayed their retirement long enough to allow GHC to find replacements.

The recruits are headed to the Sault with the help of a new provincial program, Practice Ready Ontario.

“Both … are going through the province’s Practice Ready Ontario program," Stewart said.

“So we’re very excited to welcome them.”

The two new doctors will take patients at random from the Access Care clinic.

Arriving next week

“Those phone calls for the first started last week, as she will be joining us next week and starting her practice,” she said.

This is the first time Group Health is utilizing Practice Ready Ontario. They’re also taking advantage of the province’s Grow Your Own Nurse Practitioner initiative.

Group Health CEO Lil Silvano said they will have one new Nurse Practitioner this summer, and hope to get significant use from the initiative going forward.

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“We plan to bring in around 6,000 patients just from that alone within the next two years,” Silvano said.

“So that along with the (Practice Ready Ontario) physicians, we will be able to basically offset the number of patients that lost (primary care) this year.”

Silvano said she’s proud of the progress made this year, but much work remains, not only finding care for people who have lost it, but for those who have spent years looking for it.

“It’s definitely hopeful,” she said.

Big turnaround since 2024

“When I think back to last January, where things didn’t look so, so hopeful, we’re very, very excited about this opportunity.”

GHC officials recently informed the city they would be ending their financial contributions to the city’s physician recruitment and retention committee.

Sylvano said the Ministry of Health doesn’t allow its funds to go towards recruitment. Instead, the $65,000 will be used to support and retain physicians.

“We are investing those funds to wrap services around our providers,” she said.

“Retention is very important to us and that they can continue seeing patients and with the right supports around them. You know, we’re looking at perhaps increasing the number of patients that these providers can see.”