The City of Peterborough Announces Partnership With Family Physician Think Tank

The City of Peterborough is collaborating with the Peterborough Family Doctors’ Think Tank to support its new approach to physician recruitment and retention, announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The Think Tank is a consulting and brainstorming group of independent family physicians in Peterborough which focuses on local advocacy and grassroots-level changes to maximize physician recruitment and retention. 

The Think Tank is providing guidance and making recommendations to the City’s new Physician Recruitment Coordinator and is partnering with the City on joint projects that support primary care in Peterborough. The Think Tank's advice will be critical to the City’s efforts to highlight Peterborough as an ideal place to have a primary care career. 

“Peterborough has a great deal to offer prospective physicians so they can contribute meaningfully to various types of patient care while also living in a community in which they are valued as leaders,” said Mayor Jeff Leal. “We’re thankful for the opportunity to work with local doctors through this partnership to understand the diverse practice types and evolving careers of family doctors.” 

The Think Tank’s founder, Dr. Madura Sundareswaran, emphasizes the importance of this partnership.

“Peterborough is a fantastic place to live and work, and the Think Tank is excited about the City‘s innovative and unique new family physician recruitment and retention strategy. Family physicians should be part of the recruitment effort, and, as such, we are proud to be working with the City to leverage the strengths of Peterborough and its local physicians,” said Dr. Sundareswaran. “We all share the common goal of ensuring that everyone in this community has access to a primary care provider, and we look forward to working together to achieve this goal.”

The City’s physician recruitment efforts aim to work towards fair and equitable access to primary care, a challenge faced by many communities across the province. As retirements and administrative burdens increase, it is vital to expand access for new patients and maintain care for those already with a family doctor.

The City’s Physician Recruitment Coordinator, Chantal Van Parys, is centralizing resources and now serves as prospective physicians' main contact.

Over the coming months, the City will showcase what Peterborough can offer recent graduates and family physicians who have yet to settle into a practice.

This collaboration with the Think Tank is part of the City’s pilot project, and the City has committed to funding it until December next year.

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