‘He always put his patients first,’ says longtime colleague of Dr. Karim Dharssi, who died suddenly Friday; thousands of local patients now face uncertainty
The sudden death of a longtime Orillia family physician has left thousands of local patients facing an uncertain future and colleagues mourning the loss of a compassionate doctor who dedicated his career to helping others.
Dr. Karim Dharssi, who established his family medicine practice in Orillia in 2010, died suddenly and unexpectedly on Friday, Oct. 16.
His passing has sent shockwaves through the local medical community, where he was known for his dedication to patients and his “innovative” approach to providing care.
Dr. Jeff Pitcher, a fellow Orillia physician who worked alongside Dharssi for approximately 15 years, described his colleague as an empathetic doctor who consistently went above and beyond for the people he treated.
“He was a very dedicated, empathetic physician. He always put his patients first,” Pitcher told OrilliaMatters.
Part of that dedication involved building a medical practice that offered patients access to services often unavailable within a traditional family doctor’s office.
Pitcher said Dharssi, a husband and father of three children, personally funded additional health-care professionals, including nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers and mental health supports, to provide more comprehensive care to his patients.
“Whereas most family doctors don’t have that in our office, so we rely on external services for that, whereas he would provide that all internally in his own clinic,” Pitcher explained.
“He always tried to treat the whole person, not just the medical condition.”
Pitcher said Dharssi was particularly attentive to the social circumstances affecting his patients’ health and was willing to provide additional support when traditional medical services fell short.
The two physicians first met while working in the emergency department at Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital. Both also provided inpatient hospital care and belonged to the same local family medicine group.
Over the years, they developed a friendship through their work, often getting together for lunch to discuss their families, medicine and ways to improve patient care.
“He was very collegial. He was always willing to listen to other people’s ideas, very diplomatic in bringing new ideas to our group on how to function,” Pitcher recalled.
“He was always looking out for his patients and things that we could do to help improve patient care.”
Beyond the personal loss, Dharssi’s death has created an immediate challenge for Orillia’s already strained primary care system.
Pitcher said Dharssi had the largest patient roster among local family physicians.
“It’s a devastating loss to our community,” Pitcher said.
He noted Dharssi was particularly willing to accept patients who had spent years waiting for a family doctor through Ontario’s Health Care Connect program.
“He always was willing to take on new patients who needed the help,” Pitcher said.
Local health-care officials are working to establish a plan for patients affected by Dharssi’s sudden passing.
Pitcher says further information about where patients can access care is expected to be released shortly by the local Ontario Health Team.
In the meantime, the loss of a physician with such a large patient roster presents a significant challenge for a community already struggling with access to primary care.
Pitcher said most family medicine practices in Orillia are already operating at capacity, making it difficult for existing physicians to absorb additional patients.
He said efforts are underway locally to recruit more physicians, nurse practitioners and other health-care professionals to help address the shortage.
The loss also comes amid growing pressures on family physicians.
Pitcher said recent changes to physician compensation have created additional financial uncertainty for rural family doctors, making recruitment and retention increasingly difficult.
He said the instability can discourage medical students from pursuing careers in family medicine at a time when communities such as Orillia desperately need more physicians.
Despite those challenges, Pitcher said Dharssi remained devoted to his patients and committed to finding ways to improve the care they received.
In a tribute shared on social media, Pitcher recalled how Dharssi continued visiting hospitalized patients during holidays when others were spending time with their families.
His commitment, Pitcher said, never went unnoticed by those who worked alongside him. For Pitcher, the loss is not only professional but deeply personal.
“It’s just a big shock to everyone, I think. It was hard to believe,” he said.
He said he will miss the informal hallway conversations and lunches they shared over the years.
“It’s a difficult time… for everyone.”While the community now faces the challenge of ensuring Dharssi’s patients continue receiving care, Pitcher hopes his longtime colleague will be remembered for the compassion, dedication and generosity he brought to his work.
For the thousands of Orillia residents who relied on him, Pitcher says that legacy will be felt for years to come.
Local health-care organizations are working to provide information to patients affected by the sudden passing of Dharssi, a Toronto native, who completed medical school in Manitoba and interned at the University of Toronto.