Rural areas & Docs or the lack there of

I had 1/2 hour to discuss topical and local medical concerns with IHA on the Monday of the beginning of UBCM. I talked and listened the whole time often directing the topic back to what can you help rural areas with getting physicians. Often when talking about medical issues it is such a complex issue inter connected to so many other My purpose was two fold. One, to elicit help from IHA to help us set up our Community ran medical clinic/society. Secondly to use this style of community supported clinic in other rural areas; to help lessen the pressure and burden on other areas because of lack of physicians in rural areas.
I asked if they would help with anything more than helping with the lease of the building. They would responded negatively the reason is that; IHA is worried about having communities bid against one another for doctors. Raising the price in one form or another to the point that poorer communities would have no medical services at all (much like now- only both poor and rich communities suffer this malaise), I suggested that this need not be the case. Instead, what we are doing is; presently doctors not coming at all! and communities by; welcoming them, supporting them and making it attractive for them to come to an area is a way of bringing in more physicians and retaining them. This did not seem to convince them though, I thought. IHA also suggested that there are lot of communities that desperately need doctors; far more than North Shuswap and if he was asked(by the doctors, he would send them there. My response was" this not a case of you being the one to give this choice; it is one of where the doctors want to go!" IHA did admitted that they never had any Doctor ask that question; they all knew where they wanted to go. We are attracting and retaining them into the rural areas, that it is better to have the Physicians somewhere in BC than in the other part of the world. We would all benefit by any community in BC getting Physician rather than forcing them to work in areas that do not make their job easy.
IHA did say that he would supply other medical professionals to the area (diabetic/respiratory technologists) if there were enough cases, to justify it. In other words he would not like to see a person drive from Kamloops to N Shuswap for a 2 hour meeting and 1 or 2 people. I clarified getting the need for other medical services that if they had enough clients to fill in a slot of time from 9 is to 5 pm; would be considered enough and they seem to agree with that.
As well they mentioned that I should discuss these issues with Mayor Harry Danyluk to get a better idea of what is going on with Doctors in Chase. Mayor Danyluk is also the Chair of the Thompson Regional Hospital Board
As well, asked if they would consider selling or giving used equipment to the community. IHA said if it was worth while for re-using they would pass it on to the Health Society possibly at a cost or not. Some equipment of course would not be usable for either the cost or for technical reasons and that is of course understandable.
Pain management concerns; apparently, there are people to not getting enough support for their pain. These are not addicts or abusers but have people who are in chronic pain that are not accessing the proper amount medication. They knew nothing of such a problem and would try to find out, if this in fact true.