The town of Tofield used to have three doctors. Last year, the number dropped to two. Soon, Tofield will be left with one doctor, as one of the two remaining physicians will be leaving the town in the spring.
The dwindling number of doctors has residents worried about health care in the area.
"Just the other day, my daughter got sick so I took her up there. We had to go down to the doctors office to see the doctor, and they needed a chest ex-ray so we had to take her and come back to the hospital again. So, it was like a four hour process that probably could have not take four hours," says mother of two, Deborah Woodford.
"Of course we're worried, but again, we have to trust that the people that we put in charge of this doctor recruitment, Alberta Health Services, will come through for us," says Tofield mayor, Nabil Chehayeb.
Because Toflied can't offer lucrative incentives like other communities, the committee responsible for recruiting doctors to the area fears health care will suffer.
"Anyone can do the math. One doctor, 24-seven in emerg. and our acute beds and our long term care beds, as well as our two lodges here in Tofield, can't possibly cover that as well as their own clinic in office hours. It's impossible," says Tofield Doctor Recruitment Committee member, Cyndy Heslin.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) says temporary physicians will fill the gaps in workload while they wait for a full time replacement. AHS also wants to eliminate competition for doctors between smaller municipalities.
"To have a provincial database about where the physicians are and where they're going to be most needed and see if we can help share some resourcing and locum work," says Alberta Health Services, Verna Yiu.
But some Tofield Residents aren't convinced temporary doctors will be able to help week long waits. Deborah Woodruff has started scheduling her appointments in Edmonton which is one hour away.
"I would really like it if someone would come rescue our little community because we really need the help," says Woodruff.
In 2012, AHS recruited 400 new doctors to Alberta, which was an increase from 376 in 2011.
Global News