February 19, 2014 Note to Swan Hills Community Members, HAC Members, AHS Staff, and Local Stakeholders: For personal reasons, Dr. Hythum Elharathi will be transitioning out of Swan Hills to work in another North Zone community on April 17, 2014. A permanent, full-time physician has already been recruited to replace Dr. Elharathi. He is currently working through some required federal paperwork, and is expected to arrive in the community within a few months. We will continue to keep the community updated on his anticipated arrival. A second permanent, full-time physician has also been recruited to work in Swan Hills. This second physician is completing his assessment with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, which is expected to take a few more months. AHS wants to have a resident physician in the community as soon as possible. In the interim, a team of visiting physicians have been secured to provide continuous locum coverage throughout this transition. Physician recruitment is a challenge nationwide and we would like to thank the community for its support and understanding during this time. It is important that residents know health care services will continue to be available in Swan Hills and that we are working hard to have the newly recruited full-time physicians working in the community as soon as possible. Dr. Hythum Elharathi has provided excellent care to the community and we are thankful for all of the services he has provided. We wish him the best in his future endeavors and will continue to keep the community updated about local physician coverage as more details become available. Thank-you. Dr. Kevin Worry, Medical Director, North Zone Shelly Pusch, Senior Vice President, North Zone