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Northwestern teens interested in health care invited to CampMed

Applications for NOSM University’s 20th annual CampMed are now open for high school students interested in pursuing careers in health care.

The five-day summer program provides teens from northwestern Ontario and remote Indigenous communities an opportunity to explore health sciences through hands-on learning and mentorship.

CampMed is led by volunteer post-secondary students, graduates, medical students, and health professionals. Applications for both campers and volunteers close March 9.

The program takes place in Sudbury from July 6-10, and in Thunder Bay from July 13-17.

For more information, visit nosm.ca/CampMed.

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Feds hope to attract more international doctors with faster path to permanent residency

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New immigration rules could bring more internationally trained doctors into Canada.

On Monday, the feds announced a new and faster path for them to become permanent residents.

Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab says the country needs this.

“We’ve seen the strain in our emergency rooms. We hear it from families waiting for a doctor, and we feel it from the front line staff who are stretched thin,” said Diab.

Doctors will be eligible if they have at least one year of work experience in Canada and at a related job. Those eligible related positions include general practitioners and family physicians, specialists in surgery and specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine, according to a news release from the federal government.

On top of that, anyone nominated through the program will have their work permit applications expedited in 14 days, so they can work while they wait for permanent residency.

The federal government will reserve 5,000 federal admission spaces for provinces and territories to nominate doctors. However, that does not take up any of the annual Provincial Nominee Program spots.

Invitations to apply will be sent out in early 2026.

Doctor consults with patient via video call.

Virtual healthcare on the rise in rural regions of Ontario

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More rural Ontarians will soon be turning to more virtual means of healthcare in the future.

According to the medical director at Dialogue, Canada’s largest employer-funded virtual healthcare platform, more than half a million rural residents in Ontario do not have a primary care provider, which is causing a “healthcare crisis” in more remote regions of the province.

“This is publicly available data,” says Dr. Marc Robin about the figure from a recent report published by the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA). “We know that there’s about 2-and-a-half million people out there that don’t have a family doctor and out of that group, about 525,000 in the rural areas don’t have access to a primary care provider.”

However, Dr. Robin says that figure is offset by the fact that ten million Canadians do have access to employer-funded virtual care, which makes the online option a growing and integral part of the healthcare system.

He adds he expects even more people will turn to virtual care as family physicians begin to retire in rural regions of Ontario.

A recent study found 1.74 million Ontario patients were attached to a doctor aged 65 or older, which is typically considered retirement age.

“People expect access to healthcare the same way they access their banking in some ways,” says Dr. Robin. “So it is really important that the healthcare system can meet people where they are and the best way to find them is on their smartphone.”

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Province proposing legislation to lure health-care workers from outside Ontario

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Health workers from across Canada could soon be flooding into Ontario.

Next week, the province will introduce legislation to support greater worker mobility across the country.

The proposed legislation is aimed at expanding “as of right” provisions for Canadian workers licensed and credentialed in other provinces and territories, particularly health-care workers, to gain automatic recognition of credentials in Ontario.

Currently, “as of right” rules allow nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists and medical laboratory technologists from other provinces and territories to work in Ontario for up to six months while they seek registration with their profession’s Ontario regulator.

With the Ontario government’s proposed changes, that list would expand to 16 additional professions, improving access to care for Ontario patients and meeting urgent labour market demands across the province.

Among the professions listed are dentists, dental technologists and hygienists, dieticians, midwives, occupational therapists, optometrists, pharmacists, psychologists, physiotherapists, chiropodists and more.

“Our government is continuing to break down barriers and remove red tape so that physicians, nurses and other regulated health professionals from other provinces can begin practicing in Ontario,” said Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones in a release.

“By taking a first-in-Canada approach to streamline the labour mobility process, we are making it faster and easier for both our health system partners and clinicians to provide the world-class care Ontarians need, when and where they need it.”

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Ontario Premier Questions Throne Speech

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The Premier is disappointed with a federal pledge to move ahead with a national, universal pharmacare program.

The government stated in Wednesday’s Throne Speech that it will accelerate steps with the provinces to achieve the system

Doug Ford says “We speak from one voice. All the Premiers. We don’t believe the federal government should be in that provincial jurisdiction. We need their support. But no one understands health care better than each province. We all have different needs.”

Ford stresses “If the federal government takes over health care, I think it will be an absolute disaster. Every Premier feels the same way that they should not be stepping into the jurisdiction of the provinces.”

He adds they need federal support but they don’t their support with conditions and them taking over health care.

Ford says the past five governments have not increased health care spending, noting the burden of 78% to 80% of spending falls on the back of the province.

The Premier also has questions and concerns surrounding the Throne Speech.

Doug Ford says he was disappointed not to see any increase with the Canadian health transfers that are in desperate need.

He also wants answers on infrastructure and other commitments from the feds.

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Mental Health/Addictions Programs Get Funding Boost

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Local mental health and addictions services are being supported by the Ford government with an extra $14.75-million in funding.

Minister of Northern Development Greg Rickford says the money will used to help community-based programs meet increasing service demands.

“Whether you’re living in a northern city, an unorganized territory, an isolated community, all Ontarians need and deserve access to high quality care. And we’re proud to deliver that to northerners today.”

Rickford adds “Northerners know it best. When healthcare and mental health services are available closer to home, northern communities and families can thrive.”

The Kenora-Rainy River MPP notes $4.75 million is being allocated to support specialized culturally safe services for Indigenous communities, with funds dedicated to support Indigenous youth and children.

Three million dollars is being spent to expand virtual and online services.

 

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Dryden Recruits New Physician

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The Dryden Regional Health Centre is welcoming a new physician.

Dr. Kyla Barrie has joined the Dingwall Medical Group Family Health Network and will work full-time at the Clinic and provide Emergency Room coverage at the hospital.

Dr. Barrie graduated from the University of Manitoba and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Her parents moved to Dryden 15 years ago and she wanted to see what it would be like to work in the community.

Dr. Barrie says “I was able to arrange a few electives here as a resident and loved it! I liked the challenge of working in the many areas of medicine so I knew being a rural doctor was right for me. I enjoyed working with everybody at the DRHC and Dingwall Clinic during my electives and was sad when I had to return back to the city. Dryden is a beautiful place to live and work. I can’t ask for more.”

Chief of Staff Dr. Bruce Cook says “We’ve had the opportunity to develop an exceptionally positive and confident relationship with Dr. Barrie over several years and we’re pleased to have her join the Dingwall Medical Clinic. She has been working with us as a learner, medical resident, Locum physician, and now as a full partner in providing care to our community. She’s well-oriented to the services we provide both at the Health Centre and at the Clinic and her commitment to Dryden is inspiring.”

Chair of the Dryden Health Services Foundation, Brad Coles adds “We’re excited to welcome Dr. Kyla Barrie home to Dryden and look forward to the expertise and personalized care she will bring to patients of all ages.”

 

 

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Another Important Donation For Red Lake Foundation

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The Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Hospital Foundation has received a generous donation from Battle North Gold.

The company has contributed $2,500 toward the purchase of new digital x-ray equipment.

The Foundation is getting close to fulfilling the pledge to raise $500,000 to help the Hospital buy the equipment and are grateful for all of the donations.

For more information on Battle North Gold, visit https://www.battlenorthgold.com/home/default.aspx

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Province Urged To Respect Health Care Workers

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The President of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions claims the provincial government is trampling on workers rights.

Michael Hurley says Bill-195 gives the government to much control over front line workers.

Hurley says the province isn’t working with nurses and physicians on COVID-19 workplace concerns.

He notes “Fifty per cent of the front-line caregivers that we polled in our membership reported that they were not actually physically living with their families. They were separating themselves in basements, sheds and trailers because they didn’t want to pass the virus along to them.”

Hurley says heath care workers have had to make a lot of sacrifices and it’s time the Ford government treated them better.

“There is no dialogue with that respect at all. That’s another feature of the relationship here which is problematic.”

Fred Hahn is the President of Canadian Union of Public Employees Ontario, and accuses the province of not protecting the ability to keep shifts, or not worry about job loss, something workers accepted during the State of Emergency.

“To have their rights simply withheld from them in an indefinite way, is unacceptable and it can’t be allowed to stand without folks coming together to demand that front-line heroes be respected.”

Protests against Bill-195 are planned for Kenora and Thunder Bay in the next couple of weeks.

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Appointments Resuming At Red Lake Hospital

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Operations are starting to resume at the Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital.

Non emergency care was suspended last week due to forest fire evacuations.

If you missed an appointment during the evacuation you can now call anytime and re-book.

Laboratory: 727-3827

X-Ray and Ultrasound: 727-3828

Appointments this week will begin, as booked, Tuesday.

If you have not returned from evacuation and are unable to make an appointment, please call to cancel.

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