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By Ben Tompkins

Healthcare needs

Rural Physician Incentive program hitting the northeast

Apr 21, 2023 | 5:22 PM

The Government of Saskatchewan has adjusted its Rural Physician Incentive Program (RPIP) and is hoping to attract more physicians to the northeast.

The change started at the beginning of April, as what was once an incentive of $47,000 over four years is now $200,000 over five years.

“We’re wanting to try to address the need for positions in a number of different areas around the province, which would include some northeast communities as well,” rural and remote health minister, Everett Hindley told northeastNOW. “It’s meant to be targeted for rural communities, such as Melfort, allowing them to have another tool they can use to help recruit physicians.”

Excluded areas include Regina and Saskatoon, along with their neighbouring communities (Balgonie, Emerald Park, Langham, Lumsden, Martensville, Pilot Butte, Warman and White City.)

Meanwhile, areas with regional hospitals such as Lloydminster, Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Prince Albert, Swift Current and Yorkton, are also ineligible.

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This seemingly leaves every stop in the northeast available to set up shop and begin your rural family practice.

“I’m sure that there is some interest that is being expressed,” explained Hindley. “We received positive comments from physicians, those within the medical community, and community leaders who view this as part of the partnership that we have trying to make sure that we can do whatever we can to attract health care providers to rural areas.”

The incentives have also been back-end loaded now, as years one, two, and three are all $20,000 or less, before the jump to $75,000 hits years four and five.

Hindley added this was set up so physicians become established in the community, and that after the five years are gone, they might be lifers.

“There’s a number of other benefits to practicing healthcare in rural Saskatchewan over what you might see perhaps in one of our urban centers, whether it’s a work-life balance or other opportunities that may present themselves. Ultimately, we hope that they choose to stay in that rural community beyond those five years,” he said.

“By that point in time, perhaps they’ve established some roots in that community, they’ve got a family and kids that are now in school or they’re involved in service clubs. We’re hopeful that at the end of the day, they have a long-term commitment to that rural Saskatchewan community.”

Eligibility for the incentive is also expanding beyond new graduates and will now include physicians practicing in rural and northern communities who have been assessed through the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment Program (SIPPA).

Other requirements include being new to rural or remote practice in Saskatchewan, with a rural or remote practice start date of April 1, 2018, or later, holding an active licence with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan, and having provided service during at least 10 of the previous 12 months of each service year with a minimum of 100 days of service provided annually.

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news@northeastnow.com

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