The importance of a family physician can’t be under-estimated

By Lethbridge Herald on July 2, 2022.

Editor:

June 10 marked the fourth anniversary of the passing of legendary Coaldale physician Dr. Robert Kingston. 

He served as my general practitioner from my infancy to my early thirties, and without him I would not be here. 

He was able to guide my family through dealing with my complicated health issues that were little understood twenty-five years ago, assuring a frightened teenage girl and her parents that with proper treatment, things would be OK. 

I remember him stitching my wounds, setting my broken bones, and, on one snowy night in that little office in the Coaldale clinic, saving my life, soothing me through a terrifying time with his soft British accent and compassionate-if bluntly spoken-wisdom.

He left this world four years ago as he had served it, with little fanfare (at his insistence). During his long career, he cared for countless patients, always taking the time to listen, and refusing such accolades as Coaldale’s Citizen of the Year award. 

He told the mayor “I can’t stop you from giving it, but I’m not bloody showing up to take it. I don’t do this for glory.”

 Much of the medical community of this region remembers him as one of the finest, most compassionate, most dedicated practitioners to ever grace our dusty little corner of the world (and he never gave a rat’s behind about how much people respected him). 

After his retirement, I was lucky enough to be taken on by the GP who replaced him. That practitioner had instant access to my extensive records, was able to discuss with other staff at the clinic my complicated needs, and step in smoothly as a GP who gives me as kind and excellent care as Dr. Kingston did (without the lovely accent). 

Today, when I was at an appointment, because he knew my body, knew my history, knew how I tend to interpret symptoms, he was able to discern what someone who did not know me well could not have: some of my symptoms were psycho-somatic. 

He easily came up with a plan to treat what was actually happening, not what seemed to be happening on the surface, therefore saving my body from invasive testing and the taxpayers from the cost of such. 

As we as a region shuffle through this shortage of family physicians, I want to remind both the community and the government the importance of long-term general practitioners, especially for individuals whose health care needs are not simple. 

A steady GP can often catch small problems before they become big ones, resulting in improved health and longevity for the patient and less cost to the system in general. 

As one of the Coaldale clinic staff said, through tears, right after his death, “Dr. Kingston just took care of us all.”

 That’s what family doctors do, and that is why we cannot underestimate or undermine their value.

This government needs to do whatever necessary to fill the family clinics again, because nobody in this community (not even those who supported the initial government devaluation of physicians and the changes that drove so many away) deserves any less quality of care than I received today.

 Rest in peace, Dr. Kingston. You are well-loved and always remembered (even if you still don’t give a rat’s behind what people think of you).

K.E. Hann

Lethbridge