New doctors soon to join Saugeen Shores Family Health Network

In a report to Council, Phil Eagleson, Director Protective Services said that for several years, Saugeen Shores has made every effort to recruit new doctors to the area and is about to have an additional doctor begin practicing next month with a second to follow in 2023.

Dr. Kim Whitaker plans to relocate to Saugeen Shores and begin practicing family medicine next month (October, 2021) at the Dr. Earl Health Centre, for no less than five years.

Whitaker is an experienced, accomplished family physician currently operating a successful Oregon practice in the U.S.  Originally from Ontario, she is familiar with the community having vacationed here for several years. The Doctors currently working in the Dr. Earl Health Centre have met with Dr. Whitaker and are supportive of her joining them as part of their Family Health Network (FHN). By signing the Agreement, Dr. Whitaker commits to establishing a family practice in the community for not less than five years.

Ms. Oksana Lavasova, an *International Medical Graduate (IMG), has been working under the mentorship of Dr. David Billings locally for the past three years. Once fully licensed,  Lavasova commits to establishing a family practice on or before August 1, 2023.

Lavasova is currently not fully licensed to practice medicine in the Province of Ontario but early this year was accepted into an International Medical Graduate (IMG) program at Western University.

According to Eagleson in his report, “This is an opportunity to support a future physician in our community. Ms. Lavasova will begin taking patients in 2023 and, by spacing the on-boarding of future physicians, we will be able to accommodate the predicted population growth in Saugeen Shores. The agreement addresses the need for securities to protect our financial investment. Financial Impacts/Source of Funding Financial obligations detailed in the agreement will be funded from the Doctor Recruitment Budget.

*An International Medical Graduate is a trainee who obtained their medical degree outside of Canada. They are either a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada, and wish to receive additional residency training to become fully licensed to practice medical independently in Ontario.