In an effort to allow for all community members to have better access to healthcare, the City of Colwood has hired its first family physician at a municipally owned clinic.
This is part of Colwood’s first-in-Canada municipal healthcare model in which the City is hiring doctors, rather than relying solely on doctors opening practices or Island Health opening a clinic.
“Local governments are uniquely positioned to positively impact the well-being of residents through community planning, recreation, and active living,” said Colwood Mayor Doug Kobayashi.
“Ensuring residents have a family doctor is a logical next step.”
Colwood has hired Dr. Cassandra Stiller-Moldovan for the Colwood Clinic, which is set to open in 2025.
Dr. Stiller-Moldovan is a family and sport medicine physician who will be relocating to Colwood from London, Ontario.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Stiller-Moldovan to the Colwood Clinic,” Mayor Kobayashi added.
“Her passion for recreation is the perfect fit for Colwood where we are known for our mild climate and connections to nature that support a healthy and active seaside lifestyle.”
The initiative to open a municipally-run clinic came from a response to a 2023 survey where 69% of residents indicated that having a family doctor was their highest priority.
Dr. Stiller-Moldovan is just the first physician hired on, but won’t be the last. The City is currently recruiting a team of eight family physicians for the clinic.
The physicians, along with all clinic staff, will be paid as municipal employees. Funding for this endeavour is provided by Provincial revenues billed by the clinic, the same way that physicians in other clinics bill for their time and staff.
All staff will also receive paid vacation, maternity/paternity leave, full medical benefits and a defined pension from Colwood’s Municipal Pension Plan.
The City says this should be an appealing offer for doctors, who will be able to focus on well-being rather than on the business of running a clinic.
Residents who want to receive care through the Colwood Clinic need to add their name to the Health Connect Registry provided by Health Link BC, if they haven’t already.
Residents who have a Colwood postal code will be matched with a family doctor at the Colwood Clinic.
However, if someone adds their name to the Health Connect Registry, but was already registered, they will go to the bottom of the queue.
Next steps for the City is to continue their hiring process to bring in more doctors like Dr. Stiller-Moldovan.
