The Greater Hamilton Health Network (GHHN), a newly formed Ontario Health Team, has already begun recruitment in earnest. They are interested in hearing from American family physicians to address the immediate family physician crisis in Hamilton and Haldimand County. A GHHN staff member is responsible for the organizing and delivering of healthcare services in Hamilton, Haldimand County, and the northwest section of Niagara. Hamilton is short almost 38 fulltime equivalent family doctors and Haldimand needs 14 to 15 more. GHHN is currently recruiting to lure physicians that might be discontent with the U.S. political situation home to these vital gaps.
Our recruitment strategy has changed in recent months, especially after the 2022 presidential election. According to GHHN officials, they’ve seen a resulting “slight uptick” in interest from American doctors since then. GHHN would like to capitalize on this exciting trend. This year, they will make it to many more family physician recruitment conferences in the U.S. than they did last year. For the second time, GHHN has forayed into marketing on American job boards, expanding its reach to find candidates and casting a wider net.
Addressing the Shortage
The lack of family doctors in Hamilton and Haldimand are at a crisis point which GHHN felt compelled to respond to dramatically. Since November, the organization has managed to match four U.S. specialists and one family doctor with local hospitals.
Brad van den Heuvel, GHHN’s director of physician recruitment, said the need was dire. He stated, “Yes, it is a good time to focus on the recruitment of American physicians particularly because their loss is our gain.” The recruitment efforts mostly just address the vacancies now rather than plan for enough replacement officers needed. They seek to provide enduring stability in healthcare offerings across the region.
Adding on recruitment from the U.S. bodes well for optimism. Regardless, fears persist that these doctors could decide to go home if the political atmosphere shifts. Van den Heuvel expressed his worries about this potential outcome, stating, “The hope is they come and stay in the long term.”
Turning Challenges into Opportunities
GHHN’s projects are part of a larger movement that doctors have recently been drawing attention to across Canada. Dr. Joss Reimer, president of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), highlighted Canada’s unprecedented opportunity to attract U.S. medics. These hardworking Americans have been made to feel unimportant by the policies of President Trump’s administration.
Dr. Reimer stated, “Canada must act quickly to attract the American medical and scientific professionals who no longer feel valued in Trump’s United States with its mass layoffs and the elimination of health programs and research positions.” She reiterated how this moment is an incredible opportunity for Canada. It enables the country to make the “U.S. brain drain” into a vibrant “Canadian brain gain.”
Aiming for Long-Term Solutions
GHHN currently seeks to recruit U.S. physicians to work more closely with them. Their advocacy efforts extend to breaking down barriers for internationally trained health professionals looking to practice in Canada. The organisation would now like to focus on expanding those pathways, cutting a smoother path for them to join the Canadian healthcare system.
The overarching goal remains clear: to enhance healthcare accessibility for residents in Hamilton and Haldimand County while ensuring that new recruits can thrive in their professional environments. GHHN is currently in the midst of its recruitment campaign. Most importantly, they hope these initiatives will create long-term friendships and connections between U.S. physicians who participate and Haiti’s local healthcare community.
