Dr. Marillier coming to McLennan hospital before summer 2008

Richard Froese
Smoky River Express

f Another physician is coming to the Smoky River region to serve in at Sacred Heart Community Health Centre in McLennan. Dr. Justin Marillier signed a contract late last month with Peace Country Health to work in the McLennan hospital and is expected to start next spring. He has served as a physician in South Africa for the past four years. “We are very happy,” says Barbara Gardecki who chairs the Physician Recruitment and Retention for the Smoky River Region committee, announcing the good news during the monthly recruitment meeting Oct. 9. Dr. Marillier delighted with warm welcome and reception from community “He was very happy with the community and very impressed with the warm welcome and reception.” “He didn’t need much convincing to come to this region,” says Gardecki. About 50 people from the community warmly welcomed Dr. Marillier and his wife Sanchia at a special reception Sept. 24 in McLennan. “We are very excited to have him join our team,” says Barbara Mader, director of health services at Sacred Heart Community Health Centre. Dr. Marillier brings a specialty in obstetrics and is currently working towards a Diploma in Anesthesia, which he will complete in South Africa early next year. “We are very excited that the community went out of its way to welcome them to the region,” says Dr. Pieter de Wet, chief of medical staff at Sacred Heart. He expects Dr. Marillier to arrive here in mid-March to mid-April. “It will be excellent to have four physicians in the region because it will relieve on-call responsibilities and reduce the number of days physicians are on-call. The new physician will likely be based at McLennan Associate Clinic, says Dr. de Wet. Dr. Marrillier is scheduled to write a medical exam around Jan. 10 then he will have a two-week evaluation with the Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons in Slave Lake, before returning to South Africa to complete his Diploma of Anaesthesia, says Dr. de Wet. “He was very pleased with the visit and the great community support,” says Mader. “Thanks to everyone who Dr. Marillier and his wife feel so welcome that attracted them to our region,” says Mader. When the new physician arrives, the region with be served by four physicians which include Dr. de Wet and Dr. Sandra De Souza based in McLennan and Dr. John Loge based at Falher Medical Clinic. “Dr. Loges’ plan is to have three physicians in the Falher clinic and that’s our goal,” says Gardecki. “We want to have six physicians in the region.” A French-English speaking physician is a priority. The website is scheduled to be completed by the end the month, says Peace Country Health French health services coordinator Rachelle Berube of Falher. A five-page website is being developed at a cost around $1,000. Funding for the project is available from Alberta Rural Physician Action Plan (RPAP). From the website, potential physicians will be able to link to websites of Smoky River Regional Economic Development with the websites of the five municipalities, and with Peace Country Health. Next meeting Nov. 13 The next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 13 at 7 p.m.