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This article was published 6/12/2008 (4315 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINDSOR, Ont. -- The potential to make more money, an abundance of patients and a great working environment are just some of the benefits American-trained doctors say lured them to practise medicine in the Windsor, Ont., area.

Despite many misconceptions in the U.S. about the Canadian health-care system, U.S. doctors say they are starting to see southern Ontario as a great place to work, especially in family medicine.

Of the last 100 doctors recruited to the Windsor area, 36 came from the U.S., according to Joan Mavrinac, head of the local physician recruitment office.

About half of the doctors who are now considering practising in the region are from the U.S.

Family ties drive a number of U.S. doctors to relocate to the Windsor region, but they say job satisfaction and financial gain encourage them to stay.

Dr. John Samoila, who was trained in the U.S. and initially thought he'd never come back to Windsor where he was raised, said his experiences and research have led him to believe that doctors can do "very, very well" financially in Canada.

He said the universal coverage the provincial government provides to all Ontario residents means doctors don't have to wrangle with insurance companies in order to get paid for their services and deal with "a lot of red tape."

Dr. Kristen Kupeyan, who completed her residency training in South Carolina and has been working in Windsor for the past 16 months, said the high cost of starting up and maintaining a practice in the U.S. is one of the reasons she chose to work in her hometown.

Doctor's offices in the U.S. require more staff to handle billing, insurance claims and deal with the health maintenance organizations, which provide health-care plans.

-- Canwest News Service

The cost of malpractice insurance in the U.S. can reach $200,000 a year for some specialists.

"There is a lot less paperwork here than in the States," said Kupeyan, whose husband plans to join her in Windsor when he completes his medical training in Michigan. "It makes things a lot simpler."

In addition to the financial incentives, U.S. doctors have found other reasons to cross the border in search of employment.

"In Canada, there is no shortage of patients," said Dr. Danish Mazhar, who lives in the Detroit area and commutes across the border to work. "So many of my patients tell me 'Thank you so much for coming here.' I was needed in Canada more than I was needed in the States."

Mazhar said he would "definitely recommend" Canada to other U.S. doctors but would like to see the Ontario government make the accreditation process easier.

"It took three or four months for me to get approval to work here," he said. "A lot of paperwork . . . and a 32-page application form. They want a lot of details, a lot of forms. That was the most frustrating part. I did it all, but some people may give up."

Working in Canada has also become more appealing to U.S. doctors because of a change in attitude toward family medicine, said Dr. Timothy Hogan. Hogan finished medical school in Ontario and kept up his Ontario medical licence, but went on to establish a family practice in Ohio, where he still works part-time.

"The Canadian government has realized that family practice has changed a lot over the years and is very important," Hogan said. "The family health team models seem to be working very well."

-- Canwest News Service