MUHC faces recruitment challenge with Quebec demand to cut 1 in 10 specialists

The McGillUniversity Health Centre is grappling with how to hire new doctors that the hospital believes it needs, months after the Quebec government ordered it to cut specialists from its ranks.

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When the MUHC moved intothe superhospitalsitelast spring, the government saidit would haveto reduce by about ten per centthe number of specialists practisingthere.

Under that "clinical divestment" plan, the goal is to have those specialists work off-island instead of being centralized at the MUHC.

Seeking innovators, researchers

There have been some compromises since: In cardiology, for instance, the government ordered the MUHC to cut six positions. Eventually, they agreed on cutting four, through attrition and retirement.

That means cardiology is one of about a dozen specialties where the hospital is,technically, "over count,"so bringing in new doctors is difficult if there isn't an open slot.

Despite that, the hospital is still actively recruiting new specialists,EwaSidorowicz, theMUHC'sassociate director general of medical affairs, says.It is working with McGill University to find ways to get recruits approved.

One routewould beto recruit physicians who can bring a level of innovation and research to the hospital, Sidorowicz said.

The MUHC is a teaching hospital, so a leading researcher wouldnot count against the hospital'sallotment in a certain specialty, such as cardiology.

Pressing need for certain expertise

The second route is to demonstrate thatthere's a pressing clinical reason to hire a particular specialistwithin a patient population.

That may mean, for instance, seeking a physician who has expertise in cardiac interventions such as unblocking coronary arteries, Sidorowiczexplained.

"We need to document that with great detail for the ministry to justify bringing in someone over count," saidSidorowicz.

Desire to keep 'cherished teachers'

Another challenge is managing physicians who are nearing retirement. Some physicians may be teaching more than they are practicing medicine, but the government still considersthem full-time physicians.

"We're not able to have those physicians recognized as perhaps being part-time or not occupying a full position,therefore being counted in a different group," saidSidorowicz.

"They are saying we should be managing the retirements in a more proactive way. But a lot of these physicians are cherished teachers and have a lot of experience to pass(on)."

The MUHC saidit has applied to hire a number of recruits and hopes to hear back from the provincial government in the next few weeks. So far, it is only trying to meet the most urgent needs.

The government has giventhe MUHC five years to decreasethe number of specialists it has on staff.

The Centre hospitalier de l'Universit de Montral (CHUM) is due to open next year, and it's expected to face the same type of recruiting challenges.