Lethbridge Physician Chats About Doctor Shortage - February 24, 2022 - Micah Quinn

Over the past few years during the pandemic Lethbridge has experienced a shortage of doctors. Lethbridge currently has no primary care physicians accepting new patients at walk-in clinics. By the end of 2021, approximately 45 per cent of residents did not have access to a family physician. That means there were about 69 physicians in our city practicing as a family doctor by the end of the year. 12 physicians are now practicing at the Bigelow Fowler Clinic in the south. Dr. Samuel DeWalle, a Lethbridge physician from the clinic, presented at SACPA on Thursday saying it costs $40 per patient clinic visit and emergency visits are 10 times that cost. DeWalle says the loss of primary care costs lives.

DeWalle says the issues in primary care are provincewide and if these issues are addressed Lethbridge will be fine going forward.

Aired on: Thursday, February 24, 2022

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