Vital community connections
Breanna Hall helps recruit, retain health-care professionals
Breanna Hall understands the importance of having access to primary health care in rural areas.
Her son was born with anaphylaxis – a complex and rare food allergy that required the care of a specialist.
“Without a family doctor to refer us to the right specialist we would have been on a much longer waitlist than we were,” Hall says. “Having access to a family physician was critical for us.”
In August 2020, Hall began a new job as community physician navigator in Kentville, helping ensure people in the Annapolis Valley region will have that same access to primary health care. The job supports the physician recruiting and retention initiatives of the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the Dalhousie Family Medicine Residency Program with community programs, welcoming programs and personal support.
Hall is a graduate of the tourism management program at Nova Scotia Community College, and with her background in tourism, she is well versed in presenting the many great attributes of the Annapolis Valley.
“I love the Annapolis Valley and this job allows me to combine that with my passion for helping citizens get access to primary health care. Having that personal experience certainly gives me some extra drive.”
Hall’s navigator role involves helping new physicians and their families acclimatize to life in the Annapolis Valley. This includes providing assistance with anything from obtaining a Nova Scotia driver’s license to finding the right school for their children.
“It’s helping make those community connections that develop friendships and also connecting them with the resources they need,” she says. “This could mean recreational programs for their kids, like music, arts and sports.”
The job also involves assisting new arrivals through the transition process on issues like housing and home furnishings and ensuring they arrive to a well-stocked refrigerator.
Hall also sits on the Nova Scotia Community Navigators committee, which meets once a month to work on projects at the provincial level. There are now 10 community navigators in various regions of Nova Scotia, working to recruit and retain health-care professionals in their communities.
“Right now, we’re advocating for funds to help support navigator positions provincewide.”
Rural areas across Canada face challenges in attracting physicians for many reasons. This is at a time when rural populations are aging, with the increasing health issues that may accompany senior life.
“It’s a specific type of individual who wants to practice rural medicine,” Hall says. “It tends to be more hands-on, with more independence, than a physician would have in an urban area.”
The community physician navigator is funded by grants from Kentville Rotary Club, New Minas Sunrise Rotary Club, Western Kings Memorial Health Society, and the Town of Wolfville and support from the Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce.
A long-term relationship with a primary health-care provider keeps people healthier and lowers the cost to the system.
“Everything starts with primary care,” Hall adds. “We’ve learned a lot, and had some real success stories, over the past year so we’re really excited to build on that going forward.”