New family physician accepting patients in Manning

MANNING — A newly recruited family physician is now accepting patients, increasing local access to primary care for residents.

Dr. Ansie Capon is a family medicine physician with a sub-specialty in emergency medicine. Trained in her native South Africa, Dr. Capon started practising in the community in May and is providing care at the Manning Medical Clinic and Manning Community Health Centre.

Dr. Capon joins Dr. Tyler May as Manning’s second permanent physician.

“Between Dr. May and now Dr. Capon, I think we have a very envious complement of resident doctors,” says Terry Ungarian, Chair of the Manning Community Physician Attraction & Retention Coalition. “We’re very excited about Dr. Capon. She’s young and enthusiastic, and has embraced our community right away.”

Dr. Capon says she and her husband Murray visited the community and clinic last year, and left feeling like this is where they belong.

“The people just blew us away with their sincere hospitality and welcoming attitude,” Dr. Capon says. “On our site visits, we saw other bigger, busier towns with bigger, busier hospitals and more things to do. But, in the end, it was the people of Manning who stole our hearts.”

Dr. Capon was recruited through a joint effort by Alberta Health Services (AHS); the Manning Community Physician Attraction & Retention Coalition; Dr. May; Manning Community Health Centre site manager Jo Kelemen; and community partners.

“The community engagement and support has been second to none as has the Capons’ enthusiasm and eagerness to settle into Manning,” says Susan Smith, AHS Physician Resource Planner, North Zone. “They have received many dinner invitations since arriving in the community, and Murray has already been recruited to join the local fire department.”

The community is going to benefit from Dr. Capon’s experience, says Dr. Karen Lundgard, Associate Zone Medical Director Area 2. “We’re always looking for ways to improve patient care in the community,” she says. “We're very pleased that Dr. Capon is here and know that she is looking forward to providing medical care and getting to know the people of Manning.”

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

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