Physician Recruitment in Haliburton County is All About Selling the Lifestyle

Across Ontario, an estimated 2.5 million people are without a doctor, and there is fierce competition between municipalities to attract doctors to their communities. In Haliburton County, the quest to secure physicians to care for area residents is Wendy Welch’s job. As Physician Recruitment Coordinator for Haliburton Highlands Health Services, she says it’s a challenging task, but progress is being made. Dr. Norm Bottum has been caring for patients in Haliburton for 37 years and is nearing retirement. He says while on the surface Haliburton might not appear to have a lot to offer, for the right physician, it can offer a wonderful lifestyle. CanoeFM spoke with both Wendy and Dr. Norm Bottum recently on the obstacles that exist and why the reasons for optimism.