The Editor,It has always bothered me that we can recruit doctors to Estevan fairly well but cannot seem to retain them. It seems that once we have a doctor here who is building a doctor-patient relationship, that this relationship should be fostered.I have recently discovered that this not the practice of the medical offices and their management.It seems that when a doctor is recruited they are obligated to pay a portion of their earnings to the office, which makes sense. However if they are recruited, they are required to pay 50 per cent more than if they apply. What this means is that in order to get paid as much as possible, which is what we all want, you need to be recruited here and quit.The incentive we have in Estevan is an incentive for doctors to leave not to stay.There are other factor to figure in . Firstly, when recruited from overseas you need to retake all your exams and must study in a office with a minimum of three other doctors. You must also get your permanent residency and many other things.My point is that once all the exams and residency things are finished and the doctor are licensed and qualified, our current system encourages them to leave town.Furthermore, if doctors were to leave their current offices and move to the new offices in the hospital they would pay 50 per cent less than at their offices but they cannot due to their contracts. In order to go to the hospital they must first leave town for 2 consecutive years.As you can see by this, there are clearly some changes that need to be made if we are to recruit and keep doctors in Estevan.Byron Stepp, Estevan, Sask.
