Yukon gov't and Yukon Medical Association reach 3-year deal to attract doctors to territory

A new deal has been reached between the Yukon government and the Yukon Medical Association.

It's a three-year agreement with a goal of attracting more doctors to Whitehorse and other Yukon communities.

Part of the deal, which covers a period from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2025, includes benefits designed to entice family doctors to move to the capital.

Dr. Ryan Warshawski, the president of the Yukon Medical Association, said the entire country is in a national "crisis" for family medicine.

Warshawski said it's currently difficult to attract physicians to move to the territory, but the incentives in the new agreement might help.

That includes a "fairly unique arrangement" where physicians running a practice in Whitehorse will be eligible for reimbursements to help pay for the expenses of running an office as well as help paying the overhead costs.

"I think most people don't realize that physician offices are actually private businesses. And so all of the expenses of operating that business — rent, internet, telephones, staff — are, are borne by the physicians," Warshawski said. 

There is a different "attraction package" for the communities he added, since the "realities" of running a practice outside of Whitehorse are significantly different, though he did not go into those details.

"I think that Yukon has some wonderful lifestyle opportunities for the right individual. And I'm optimistic that with the agreement that we've reached, we will be a very competitive and desirable market for physicians across Canada."

'Strides forward'

The new agreement was ratified by members of the Yukon Medical Association on Sep. 30.

Tracy-Anne McPhee, the minister of health and social services, said helping with a physician's overhead is new.

"Certainly, it will help cover physicians operational costs to run their own practice if they see a minimum number of scheduled and or same-day patients or clients." she said.

"We know that the remuneration for doctors here in the territory is very strong. We know that we provide an amazing community and place for doctors and other medical professionals to live."

McPhee said she hopes the agreement will work to increase Yukoners' access to primary care.

And, she said the deal includes a commitment for members of the territorial medical association to work with Yukon First Nations and healthcare system partners to "support collaborative maternity and early learning years childcare."

"I think those are great strides forward and things that are specific to this agreement that we haven't had before."