Doctor Samantha Henley of Mobile MD. (Facebook/Mobile MD)

By Angie Rolheiser

Mobile MD

Locum physician from tv show ‘Mobile MD’ visits Nipawin

Aug 13, 2020 | 12:00 PM

A full-time locum physician with the Saskatchewan Medical Association is in Nipawin for the week.

Doctor Samantha Henley of the City TV Saskatchewan show Mobile MD is seeing patients at the clinic in town and is also covering the emergency room.

Mobile MD is filmed on the weekends when Henley is out of clinic.

“We decided that since I travel in my motor home with my dogs to cover rural practices and rural physicians that we would take the angle of people who don’t seek medical care because of the different rural issues,” Henley said.

A number of issues found in rural Saskatchewan healthcare include not having a full-time physician available on top of individuals not being able to leave farms and other commitments.

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The show aims to bring awareness to those issues along with showcasing some common medical disorders that need treatment.

Henley played a small part in a documentary for the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses where she connected with the production team. The team brought forth the idea of Mobile MD after talking to Henley about her work as a locum physician.

Last year, Henley got her motor home since she travels with her three big dogs and finding accommodation for the four of them in rural areas is often a challenge.

The first episode of Mobile MD aired Feb. 27, 2020 and has since released five more episodes. The seventh episode was put on hold with the COVID-19 outbreak in the province.

Series two as well as a virtual reality episode is in the works.

“I go to different clinics and it’s funny because some people know who I am, but most have no idea who I am,” Henley said. “You get a contrast of patients who are excited to see me and see what I can do for them and then the ones who are just coming to see the random locum of the week.”

Covering a town that she has been to previously is a nice way for Henley to see familiar faces.

“Word gets around that I’m back and so people will make an effort to come see me if they trust what I have been doing and then they are happy to come back and see me again for something else,” Henley said.

Last season, episodes of the show were filmed at Moosomin First Nation, north of North Battleford as well as Assiniboia in southern Saskatchewan, along with others.

“I travel the entirety of the province and will cover pretty much anywhere,” Henley said.

The locum physician is no stranger to the northeast.

“I’ve done a few stints in Porcupine Plain, Hudson Bay, and Tisdale,” Henley said. “I think Nipawin and Melfort are the only ones that have been left out of that so far.”

No patients are being filmed during the visit in Nipawin.

Henley said she is enjoying her stay in Nipawin Regional Park where she has her RV parked and can take the dogs for an evening walk.

“Every time you go somewhere new, you are always a bit nervous about what people will be like, how people will treat you but everyone is super awesome here and I do always look forward to coming back here,” she said.

Henley’s adventures can followed on the Mobile MD Facebook page.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser