July 9, 2014
SWAN HILLS — Local residents have improved access to primary care with the recent recruitment of a new, full-time family physician arriving in the community, thanks to the efforts of Alberta Health Services (AHS), Swan Hills’s elected officials, and strong community support.
Dr. Abdussalam Ghargoum is a general practitioner who will practise at the Swan Hills Healthcare Centre and Medical Clinic starting Aug. 11.
“It’s a pleasure to welcome Dr. Ghargoum to the community of Swan Hills,” says Maureen Kubinec, MLA for Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock. “The arrival of Dr. Ghargoum is an example of the steady progress being made to recruit family physicians to communities across northern Alberta.”
Dr. Ghargoum moved to Canada from Libya in 2010 and completed his Canadian physician practice assessment in High Level. Since then, he has practised in communities in both the North Zone and the Calgary Zone of AHS.
“I’m encouraged by AHS’ response in helping us find a doctor,” says Jeff Goebel, Chair of the Swan Hills Community Health Board and a member of Swan Hills Town Council. “They’ve been very good in actively trying to find a doctor for us. Kim Fleming and her group did a lot of work with us and we look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with AHS.”
Fleming is one of three AHS physician resource planners in the North Zone, dedicated to identifying and pursuing international and domestic physician recruitment opportunities.
Physician resource planners work closely with various community partners and organizations, such as local Health Advisory Councils, the Rural Physician Action Plan, and independent community physician recruitment and retention committees.
“We support not only incoming physicians but their spouses and families, too,” says Goebel. “It’s important that the entire family feels at home here, and we hope Dr. Ghargoum and his family will be with us for several years.”
The Swan Hills Community Health Board was created in July 2011 in effort to help liaise between the residents of Swan Hills and AHS. Its focus is physician recruitment and retention, and the board also works with AHS to ensure local health care services are being used to their fullest capacity and are continually improving.
Throughout the recruitment process, the Swan Hills Community Health Board has helped welcome Dr. Ghargoum and his family to the community.
“We are thankful for the community’s understanding and appreciate their efforts in supporting local health care,” says Dr. Firdaus Mydeen, AHS Associate Zone Medical Director for Swan Hills. “Their dedication has been instrumental in helping to recruit a new permanent, full-time physician to Swan Hills. I’ve recently had the pleasure of working as a physician in Swan Hills myself.
I believe Dr. Ghargoum and his family will be very happy here.”
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.
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