Patient defends West Vancouver doctor who asked clients for retirement help
A longtime patient of a West Vancouver doctor, who asked clients to help him out financially as he gets ready to retire, has defended the physician.
In a letter, Dr. Myron MacDonald told his patients he plans to retire at the end of this year, and he asks if they'd consider chipping in to his retirement fund.
According to MacDonald, he "did not make much money," has no pension, limited savings, regularly declined to charge patients for uninsured services, and that any amount — even $20 or $30 a month — would help.
"I fully understand that most of you do not have an extra $1,000 lying around but any amount will be of help to me," wrote MacDonald, who said he was retiring because of decreasing mobility and the birth of his first grandchild.
The letter sparked controversy when it was first reported by the Vancouver Sun earlier this week.
But one of his patients said MacDonald had an unconventional career, noting he was one of the founding members of Greenpeace in the 1970s.
College intervenes
"He practices unconventionally," said Ilze Bebris, a patient of MacDonald's for 35 years
"He really looks at patients' needs in terms of how he could best help."
Bebris says her family, of whom three generations have used MacDonald's services, were happy to contribute.
She said he appears to need the help.
"He'd been so good to us over the years, and it's not a problem financially for us ... it felt like a way of our expressing our gratitude for the extra mile he's gone for us over the years," she told CBC.
"He's put other things aside. He isn't able to sell the practice, he still has a lease. There is some hardship involved in his part."
But the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. doesn't agree. They spoke with MacDonald after becoming aware of the letter, and now say the situation has been resolved.
Some patients wish to assist
"The College is confident that Dr. MacDonald is resolving the matter based on direction from the College, and that no further action will be necessary," it wrote in a statement.
"All of his patients can be assured that Dr. MacDonald will make this matter right, and no money will be accepted by him even if offered."
However, Bebris said she and others would still find a way to assist him.
"I can understand that the college has construed this as exploitative, but on the other hand, there's no stick, there's no carrot. It's a contribution to his well-being," she said.
"It has nothing to do with care, because he's retiring at the end of the month.
"Those of us who want to will find a way."
