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10 -The Canadien ChmpIqon, Tu.,day, October 12, 1999 FIGKT THE FLU I 547 Main St. E. MILTON -878-0931 Influenza is oneC of the most contagious viruses - anyone can catch it. Those at highest risk include people over 65 years of age, residents of nursing homes or chromic care facilities and anyone with diabetes, cancer, anemia, chronic heart, lung or kidney disease. Anyone allergic ' to eggs or egg products should flot get a flu shot. For more information on the availability of this year's flu shot please contact your family physician. ana est. rmQ- .1cm M4in Canada. MWrile Eid asmber at Goodife  6 MONTHS FREE!1 '3oin for 6 months and get 6 months free. SGoodLîf 905-876-3488 855 Steeles Ave. E. (Co-etl) Semoe. Happiness and Resutts guaranteed. Siza. Most faotlities and equiprnent. p 50 dubs... and growing. Stabitlty. Canadian owned for 20 yeans. Best in Canada. Chamber cf Comaserce Winner. 'Nominal Administration Fans Apply, lime limfited oSfer. 'Orp1 an Patients' left to use hospital emergency rooms By IRENE GENTLE The Champion A severe shortage of farnily doctors in the corn- munity has led to a growing trend of "orphan patients" at Milton District Hospital, said Halton Healthcare Services (H1HS) Chief of Staff Dr. Lome Martin. HHS operates the ainalgamnated Milton District and Oakville- Trafalgar Memorial hospitals. Traditionally, patients arriving at the hospital for care are treat- ed by their general practitioner (GP). But a lack of available family doctors has led to more and more patients turning up at emiergency roms "orplianed" - or without a link to a famnily physician. Currently, unaffiliated patients are simply assigned a family doctor at tlie liospital. But that is putting an unfair burden on aleay overtaxed GPs, said Dr. Martin. "If you are coming to Milton emiergency and you are sick, we stili have to look after you," lie said. *'he work load is becomaing unanageable." Ideally. Milton sliould have approximnately 32 GPs, or one for every .1,500 residents, said Dr. Martin. But instead there are 16, and they are spread thin, lie added. "I Milton, their practices are completely full," said Dr. Martin. 'They are working right at their capacity." In Qakviîle, the doctor/patient ratio la about riglit, but it is poised to tip in the wrong direction with upcoming growth. Tlie concem, said Dr. Martin, is Ontario-wide, caused by a gnmn shortage of doctors in the province. Govemment policies that at one drne slashed enrolment spaces in medical achools combined witli an streamn of physicians lieaded soutli of the border have contributed to the predicamrent, lie said. And at tlie saine Urtne, patient needs have risen. "We've lied tlie predicted aging of Uic population," said Dr. Martin. -'lbe patients we look after in Uic hoapital are mucli sick- er tlian tliey used to lie." But a funding formula devised in Uic 1970s dictates that doctors are able to bill more in their famnily practices tlian tliey can for liospital work, said Dr. Martin. Tliat means it is more lucrative for them to opt out of liospital work altogedier. And that fiu(fler swells Uic ranks of orplian patients. "It is cconomnically botter for pliyaicianas just to work in Uic comrnunity," lie aaid. 'But it increases Uic numbers of those unaf- filiated patients." So far, aIl Milton doctors have optcd to rernain in Uic liospital. And uit leads to thc best possible treatment, aaid Dr. Martin. flic reason is that the fmIy doctor lias an establialied relation- ship wîi Uic patient and is familiar With Uieir medical hustory. "And it miakes for a botter physician," sad Dr. Matins. 'That doctor la woring in emergency. You are aeeing a real talented and skilled individual." To study Uic isaue, a taak force waa recenUy pulled together at HHS. Tliey are lioping to return wiUi aone solutions within four miontiis. One option Uic task foree will be looking into la liing a liospital physician apecifically to care for unaffilistcd patients. But Uic real answer lias to corne frorn the provincial govem.- mient, aaid Dr. Martin. ."It is very difficuit for us to try and solve Uic physician aliortage problem," lie said. '"We are lioping it can be addreaaed at a provincial-level." In Uhi eantime, aIl patients Will continue to receive care at Uic hoapital, ssured Dr. Martin. WAilN Tiin-1) FEMALE VOLUNTEERS FOR A MOTIVATIONA STUDY We need 50 female volunteers to participate in a fourteen day fitness improvement study. You do not need to be a member of Goodife Fitness. Clubs and there is no cost f0 participate. GoodLife cALL 876-3488 855 Stmelo Ave. E. Whlon Visit the duli or caIl us on or beOC"«e 15, 1999