Physician recruitment for rural areas is a challenge everywhere, not just for Saskatchewan.

This from Graham Fast, acting vice president of integrated health services with the Saskatoon Health Region.

He says they are actively recruiting to both permanent and locum positions, and they are also looking at an alternative model of care while recruitment continues.

The "collaborative emergency centre" model is in place in six communities in Nova Scotia.

Fast explains that with this model there would be an advanced care paramedic and either a nurse practitioner or a full scope registered nurse working in the emergency department with physician consultation by phone or by telehealth when a doctor isn't on site.

Staff meetings were held in Wadena and Wynyard earlier this month to discuss the impacts of the threatened emergency room closures in their facilities.

The two communities have been using alternating emergency departments because of the physician shortage.

Since then, 2 Wadena physicians have given notice. One gave notice for the middle of July and the other for the end of August.

Fast says they are currently in discussions with several physicians locally and across Canada who may be interested in locum positions.

(ct july23/12)