The NRRM is weighing the possibility of taking over operations...
The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM) is exploring the idea of opening a municipally-owned health-care clinic, assessing its feasibility through a business case study.
Fort Nelson Mayor Rob Fraser explained that, although health care is usually a provincial responsibility, the municipality is considering taking it on due to its remote location.
He noted they have never been in the medical business before, so being well-informed will help them make the best decision.
With the current doctor at the community’s for-profit primary care clinic planning to retire, the NRRM is weighing the possibility of taking over operations.
Fraser added that the clinic has been successful for 30 years and they expect it will continue to thrive.
Fraser mentioned that until all revenue sources and potential costs are clear, it’s hard to determine if taxpayers will need to cover the expense.
A business case will be shared with the community later.
Research into a municipally owned clinic started in February after physician departures, according to an NRRM report.
The report notes that the current fee-for-service compensation model, which is directly linked to patient volumes, isn’t effective in a region like the Northern Rockies.
"In communities such as the NRRM, where patient volumes are lower and physician resources are limited, the model may be less attractive to prospective physicians and can create challenges in maintaining both competitive compensation and sustainable clinic operations," it states.
As of the 2021 census, the NRRM has just under 4,000 residents, with over 2,600 living in Fort Nelson, the region’s administrative hub. A health-care committee established by the NRRM recommended a team-based approach to primary and critical care, aiming to recruit doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and other health professionals for a municipally owned clinic.
The committee included members from Fort Nelson First Nation and Toad River.
Input was also provided by health-care operators across B.C., seeking advice from community non-profit clinics in Whistler and Gabriola Island, a community health-care clinic in Sun Peaks, a municipally-led clinic owned by the City of Colwood, and others.
Fraser says the committee focused heavily on the model used by Colwood, but emphasizes that doctors are also needed at Fort Nelson General Hospital, operated by Northern Health.
In Colwood, clinics have shifted away from the health authority, with doctors employed by the municipality.
Given the remoteness of the area, doctors at the local clinic will likely need to take shifts at the hospital.
A press release states that the NRRM and its health-care committee are still exploring collaborative models for running a clinic, with no final decision made.
The initiative aims to provide residents with reliable primary health-care services while supporting physician retention and work-life balance.
The business case study will examine more municipal models, seek input from the Ministry of Health, gather feedback from physicians on compensation, and evaluate facility options.
Fraser adds that the NRRM hopes to involve communities along the Alaska Highway, including Prophet River First Nation, stressing the importance of developing a business model to share with the public for feedback.
-with files from CBC
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