Kudos for Orillias Area Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee.
Local doctor recruitment efforts have been recognized at the provincial level for a creative marketing campaign aimed at attracting medical professionals to the area.
The Doctors For Life campaign, put together in co-operation with the City of Orillias Economic Development office, picked up an honorable mention at the recent Economic Developers Council of Ontario annual marketing awards.
The local campaign took a creative approach to promoting the quality of life offered to physicians and their families in the Orillia area through a series of posters encouraging prospects to Be A Beach Doctor, to Be a Tree Doctor or even to Be A Snow Doctor.
Dan Landry, Orillias Manager of Economic Development and a member of the physician recruitment committee says they were looking for something to say quality of life without actually saying it, in a way that would turn peoples heads.
He says its nice to be recognized for their efforts, particularly because they function as a volunteer committee where other communities in Ontario have or work with professional recruiters.
The local doctor recruitment committee has been active for 10 years, working to address the current and impending critical shortage of physicians in the area.
Its estimated that more than 12,000 local residents could be without a family physician within four years, due to upcoming retirements of existing doctors and increased demands.
As many as 20 family physicians and 15 to 18 specialists will be required to bridge this gap.
