Cold Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce presented stakeholders with the first phase of a new plan to get healthcare professionals in the region.
Phase one of the plan was focused on making a business plan to make a clinic operate in Cold Lake, while also getting a lay of the land of what doctors need and how many reside in Cold Lake already.
The presentation had stakeholders such as local municipalities, doctor recruitment organizations, industry, and politicians in attendance. Everyone was presented with alternatives to the traditional recruitment measures that officials believe are currently not working.
“It’s time to start thinking outside the box and be creative with our recruitment efforts to improve the delivery of healthcare in our area,” says President of the Cold Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, Ryan Lefebvre.
Lefebvre adds the chamber elected to take the initiative to provide better healthcare for the community and to make the city a more attractive place to live, work, and raise a family.
The Cold Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce and consultants from 143 Healthcare Consulting Phase 1 of the Business Plan for a Team-based Primary Care Alternate Relationship Plan (ARP) to local stakeholders.
Lefebvre says the new approach differs from previous attempts because this is a new style of clinic.
“The new idea is that the clinic is not located at the hospital. The doctors can be family physicians and just see a panel of patience.”
“The other piece to it is that it is a different style of compensation. What we are going after here is more of a work-lifestyle balance. The generation that is coming out of schooling is around the 30s to mid-20s and the work lifestyle balance is important to them.”
Lefebvre says the new clinics will operate on a salary position rather than a fee-for-service position. He says this new model will let health care workers change the traditional idea of a doctor working long hours.
“This should provide the doctors in the area and the families a better experience and they can actually enjoy the Lakeland area.”
The new approach is being referred to as “Team-based Primary Care Alternate Relationship Plan (ARP) Model” and has The Chamber feeling like Cold Lake will see more doctors in the future.
Executive Director of the Cold Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce Sherri Buckle says they have been working with 143 Healthcare Consulting since March of this year and we are excited for the future of healthcare delivery in our region.
“While this is a phased-in approach, we are confident that with the support from our community stakeholders, we will see a light at the end of the tunnel.”
The Chamber is looking to move to Phase 2 of the initiative, which will include the implementation plan, project closeout, and documentation.
Phase two will be brought forward to the M.D. and city councils for approval and give a brief overview of the next step in the project. Phase two will cost an estimated $85,000. Currently, phase two is around 30 – 40 weeks until completion.