Dr. Clay Marco closing practice on Sept. 8, orphaning more than 2,000 patients
By John Chilibeck, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Daily Gleaner
The loss of another family doctor in New Brunswick, leaving about 2,200 patients in the lurch, has raised questions once again about the well-being of the province’s health-care system.
Progressive Conservative Margaret Johnson, who serves as the Official Opposition House Leader and MLA for Carleton-Victoria, said during question period last week that Dr. Clay Marco had announced he’d be closing his practice in Florenceville, effective Sept. 8, leaving orphaned patients.
“With all the attention being given to collaborative clinics and primary care clinics, I’m disappointed by the lack of attention being given to the existing physicians who have held the front line for these lean years,” said Johnson on Thursday.
“This brings the grand total to 8,200 patients who will be without primary care in the Carleton North area. My question is this: What concrete measures is the Department of Health taking to retain existing physicians, preventing further patient orphaning, especially in high-needs areas where access to care is already fragile?”
Health Minister John Dornan replied that it was a perfect example of why the Holt Liberal government had decided to fund collaborative care clinics that would ensure a patient is cared for by a team of health professionals, not just a solo family doctor.
“In what world is it acceptable that those people are left uncovered when a family doctor – a well-regarded family doctor whom I regard as a friend – who has worked for many years steps aside from a practice?” said Dornan, a specialist physician from Saint John.
“This is why we have promoted collaborative care in Carleton North. The number of people in the clinics there is growing, so if somebody leaves, retires, or gets sick, the patients are cared for.”
The Holt Liberal government announced last month that a family health team had been formed at the Carleton North Medical Clinic, which is only a short distance from Dr. Marco’s office in the heart of the old village in western New Brunswick near the U.S. border.
In a news release May 16, the premier’s office said the team would likely serve an additional 800 patients without a primary care provider by the end of 2026.
It came with a caveat: The Horizon Health Network had to hire more staff first. The clinic, which has two full-time family physicians and three part-time physicians, is supposed to add, over the coming months, administrative assistants, allied health professionals, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and licensed practical nurses.
The Liberal government has promised to create at least 30 local collaborative family health teams across the province over four years, starting with 10 this year.
The expansion of the Carleton North Medical Clinic and Dr. Marco’s departure don’t appear to be directly tied. The physician is in his sixties and has been practising family medicine for 30 years. He recently published a book of reminiscences about serving as a doctor in the Arctic. Over the last decade, Marco has travelled to work temporarily in Nunavut clinics more than a dozen times.
“You know, to credit that doctor, he is a very good physician,” Dornan told the House. “He’s done yeoman’s work over many years, but that’s a pattern of solo practice that is not sustainable. We heard only yesterday that this was going to happen, and we will put in place clinics such as the Carleton North collaborative care clinic or perhaps other clinics in this area to look after these patients.”
Dornan said it was normal for doctors to eventually hang up their stethoscopes, and it shouldn’t be a crisis for their patients every time.
“We need a system that is more robust and ensures that people are looked after when doctors choose to take holidays or vacations or to retire.”
Neither Dr. Dornan nor Johnson were available for interviews afterwards.
However, Megan Mitton of the small opposition Green Party said she had doubts the Liberal government was setting up team clinics the right way.
“So far, what I’ve really seen the government do is go to clinics that already existed that the community helped create, like the one in Sackville, and say, ‘look! We’ve created a clinic,’,” said the MLA for Memramcook-Tantramar, who lives in Sackville. “There needs to be the creation of new ones, which hasn’t really happened so far.”
Mitton told Brunswick News the government should be more proactive, rather than asking communities to come up with their own models.
“That’s not the best way to ensure equitable health care across the province, whether the community pitches an idea the government likes or not.”
