At a community event surrounded by a few of the 2,000 babies he has
delivered, Dr. Stuart Iglesias will receive Alberta’s first award for a
rural physician.
The “distinction in practice” honour is to be given June 19 to the
55-year-old Hinton, Alta., doctor by a provincial government committee
called the Alberta Rural Physician Action Plan. Its role is to help
recruit and retain rural doctors.
In an interview, Iglesias said he was overwhelmed by the award. He is
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one of 1,332 rural doctors from Alberta’s total of 5,451.
He said the main difference between rural and urban doctors is that
those in the countryside are still generalists.
“It is important we have a variety of skills. We know something about a
whole lot of things. Urban doctors are organized on a specialty basis,
but we’re the full-meal deal.”
The action plan committee noted Iglesias got the award for his activity
in training and promotion of rural anesthesia, surgery and obstetrics.
The doctor said all the evidence shows there are better outcomes if
women are allowed to deliver babies in their home communities. He said
the doctors’ national association and the rural physicians of Canada
group have both recommended reversing the policy of obliging rural
women to travel to the city to have their babies. The problem is
budgets and government will, he said.
In a related issue, he said his advice to the national commission on
health care reporting in November would be to maintain the ability to
provide complete care in rural areas.
“If you centralize your services, then pretty soon your rural community
loses anesthesia and surgery … Nothing will empty a rural community
quicker than the absence of a competent medical team.”
Iglesias said he could not pick out one special incident from his
years, but he said the best part of his job comes from professional and
personal satisfaction.
“To see a sick child in hospital, do some tests, operate for
appendicitis and see them out of the hospital with their parents a few
days later.”
He also enjoys the familiarity that comes with being in a rural
community – “you go to church with them, golf with them, rides horses
with them.”
