Collingwood, Ont. declared area in high need of physicians

A physician's stethoscope is shown in this file photo.

Ontario's Ministry of Health has declared the Town of Collingwood as an area of high physician need.

The Joint Municipal Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee (JMPRRC), Chair June Porter, and Vice-Chair Yvonne Hamlin announced the news on Friday.

"This is truly excellent news for the entire south Georgian Bay region as this change of status lifts the virtual cap preventing family physicians from setting up their own practice in Collingwood," Hamlin said in a press release.

"This creates an opportunity to further support the committee's mandate of physician recruitment and will increase access to health care for all residents throughout the region and will help to reduce walk-in and emergency department care."

As an area of high physician need, eligible physicians will have the opportunity to join the Family Health Organization (FHO), associated with the Georgian Bay Family Health Team (GBFHT), to roster unattached patients.

Several factors were considered for the declaration, outlined in the Ministry of Health's website, including the town's Rurality Index for Ontario (RIO) score, family physician to population ratio and socioeconomic status.

The town now has the same status as other municipalities in the south Georgian Bay region.

"This is great news as south Georgian Bay is really one service delivery area, and this success shows what can be accomplished when we work with our municipal partners on something that will benefit us all," said Alar Soever, Town of The Blue Mountains mayor.

JMPRRC said it would continue working with the ministry to improve local and regional healthcare access for the south Georgian Bay region.