Dr. Michael Graetz, a physician at the 亚洲天堂 Lake Clinic, is set to retire, leading to a series of updates on the clinic鈥檚 future and local healthcare services.

Northern Health spokesperson Eryn Collins confirmed that the clinic will be supported by three newly recruited physicians, with one expected to start in September and two more joining in spring 2025.

Additionally, Dr. Chris Annandale will transition from the private 亚洲天堂 Lake Medical Clinic to the NH Primary Care Clinic. Patients from the private clinic can join the NH clinic's waitlist if they wish to switch.

Currently, the Lakes District Hospital and the Primary Care Clinic employ seven physicians in both full- and part-time roles. The addition of a new physician in September will increase this number to eight.

The recruitment drive is also anticipated to alleviate recent service interruptions at the local Emergency Department, which has faced sporadic closures due to physician shortages. On August 19, Northern Health announced a 24-hour closure of the Emergency Department due to a shortage of physicians. However, Collins emphasized that most service interruptions have been due to nursing staff challenges rather than physician shortages.

To address these issues, Northern Health is actively recruiting nursing staff with the aid of Ministry of Health incentives, including GoHealth BC鈥檚 recruitment bonuses and various retention incentives. These efforts include a $15,000 signing bonus for experienced ED nurses and up to $30,000 for rural and remote nurses who commit to a two-year service agreement.