In just five years about 50,000 Richmondites may be without a family doctor, according to a community survey conducted by the Richmond Division of Family Practice.
The non-profit group surveyed Richmond residents and doctors and found the city has fewer general practitioners than neighbouring communities in B.C..
Richmond has one general practitioner for every 1,257 residents, compared to one for every 949 Vancouverites.
Roughly 35,000 residents (17 per cent) don’t have a doctor in Richmond and planned retirements of doctors are expected to exacerbate the problem (the survey found at least 19 doctors will retire within four years).
According to a City of Richmond report on the survey this week, city planners will explore opportunities to help improve access to family doctors.
The goal of the survey was to help connect prospective patients with doctors, increase capacity of the health care system and strengthen patient-doctor relationships.
The survey was more anecdotal than scientific, as it surveyed more women, middle-aged people and Caucasians, rather than the statistical averages in the city.
The survey found only 15 per cent of doctors in the city were outright accepting new patients.
Younger people, new residents and immigrants (having lived in Canada for less than 10 years) were less likely to have a family doctor. Many seek medical assistance outside the city.
The biggest factor preventing people from visiting a family doctor include: difficulty getting an appointment (40 per cent), waiting times at the doctor’s office (29 per cent) and availability (22 per cent).
Increased access to counselling and psychologists was the number one priority for doctors’ referrals (80 per cent), followed by geriatric community services (73 per cent).
