Haliburton County’s physician recruitment coordinator, Wendy Welch, has confirmed the Haliburton hospital will soon have a full complement of rostered doctors – the first time that’s happened since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was announced Dec. 12 that Dr. Max Rannie is joining the Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS) team in April. Welch said he will be full-time at the Haliburton facility, working six shifts per month in the emergency department and one week per month carrying out hospitalist care – caring for admitted patients in the acute care ward.
Welch confirmed a full-time contract reflects 12 shifts in the emergency department (ER), or a combination of hospitalist weeks and ER. Hospitalist shifts are 12 hours, with three blocks for ER care – a morning shift from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., an overlap shift from noon to 8 p.m., and evenings from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m.
Rannie committed to HHHS after visiting the community in August. Welch said he learned about the opportunity through the County’s online portal promoting the Highlands community as a premiere destination to live and work.
He becomes the fifth arrival at HHHS this year, following Dr. Peter Faulkner, Dr. Harrison Bishop, Dr. Mario Lupu and Dr. Carly Eisbrenner through the hospital’s front doors. Welch said Rannie’s arrival was a major deal.
“With the addition of Dr. Rannie, HHHS no longer has a need to recruit physicians for the hospital at this time,” Welch said.
Rannie secured his Doctor of Medicine from the Medical University of the Americas in 2018 before completing his family practise residency in Bangor, Maine in 2021. For the past four years, he has been working in community and hospitalist medicine in the U.S.
The physician has committed to working at least four years at HHHS. That will allow him to tap into approximately $115,000 n money from the County, as part of its physician recruitment program. The County offers doctors incentives to practise in the area, including annual payments of $25,000 for a maximum of six years and reimbursing moving expenses up to $15,000.
There are other perks the County doles out, too – one-year memberships to the Minden Recreation Centre and the Haliburton Forest Wolf Centre, while the upper-tier government also maintains two properties doctors can use while they’re finding a more permanent home.
“On behalf of our community, I am pleased to welcome Dr. Rannie to the Haliburton Highlands,” said County warden Dave Burton. “His knowledge and expertise will be a wonderful addition to the excellent care provided at HHHS.”
The hospital’s chief of staff, Dr. Faulkner, said it’s “always exciting” welcoming new members to the HHHS team, noting Rannie’s skills, energy and perspective “will be a tremendous asset as we continue to be an anchor organization in the Highlands.”
Welch said Rannie is an addition at the Haliburton facility, not a replacement.
As he prepares for a new life in Canada, Rannie said he’s excited to learn about everything cottage country has to offer. He also wants to be a leader in his new community.
“It is my strong intention to contribute meaningfully to patient care, team collaboration and the overall health and wellbeing of residents,” Rannie said.
