Doctors in the community are being recognized on Mar. 30 for National Doctors Day.

Circumstances have improved greatly since a few years ago when Okotoks saw a shortage of doctors and residents struggled to find a physician locally that was accepting new patients.

Bill Robertson, Mayor of Okotoks, says administration did a lot of ground work to help attract doctors to town.

"There was a number of Rural Physician Attraction Conferences they had in the province and I attended a number of those conferences. We would have doctors come in, we would take them a gift basket, tour them around, we would talk about all the benefits, there would be a welcoming letter from the Mayor's office, and we would encourage them to set up medical practice in the Town of Okotoks."

Okotoks used to have an Okotoks Physician Attraction and Retention Committee which has since been disbanded.

Robertson says local urgent care facilities saw an increase in patients during the shortage.

"With a shortage of medical doctors we had a number of people that were forced to go to the Urgent Care. Those doctors are good doctors but they only see a patient on an ad hoc basis and likely not the same patient twice, so what's missing is the continuity of care. When you go and have a regular family doctor that you attend for all of your medical needs, they get to know you and you generally get better medical care than just going to an urgent care."

He adds with a number of new clinics in town the focus is no longer on bringing doctors in but retaining them.

National Doctors Day can be celebrated by giving physicians a red carnation to recognize their contribution and dedication in the community.

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