An innovative practice model at the Pincher Creek Associate Medical Clinic is providing quality health care to patients and at the same time, offering physicians involved both a satisfying professional practice and lifestyle.

"Dr. Juan Teran, and Dr. Anthony Irving are to be commended for their vision in setting up the practice model," says Dr. Cathy Scrimshaw, one of the physicians involved. "Each physician comes into the group with their own specialty, which provides a basket of key skills for a primary care practice. We work to our full scope of practice."

Through collective interest and collaboration, each of the eight physicians involved are able to take off from three to five months per year. With five or six physicians covering the town's population of 3,200 and the catchment area of 12,000 at any one time, the physicians work out solutions to ensure patient continuity of care is as strong as possible.

"This model is sustainable," adds Cathy, "because of the recognition of the needs of the patients, the skills of the physicians, and the satisfying lifestyle that the model allows. I believe the community recognizes they have had consistency of physicians with this model. We try to preserve an environment of cooperation."