Health P.E.I. at the same time as the Medical Society of Prince Edward Island engage in a fiery battle. To address fears that new performance targets would set unrealistic expectations for family physicians, they have introduced a binding arbitration process. Principal participants in the talks have been Dr. Krista Cassell, President of the Medical Society, Health and Wellness Minister Mark McLane, and Melanie Fraser, CEO of Health P.E.I. Together, they are advancing essential discussions on healthcare. They aim to make sure all Islanders have equitable access to healthcare. Many physicians are increasingly worried the reforms will end up hurting — not helping — patient care.
Under the proposed new benchmarks, family physicians are expected to fit in 24 patients per day in 15-minute time slots. This new requirement has sent many physicians into a tizzy. Whether it was Dr. Jeannette Verleun or another family doctor, they all joined in raising the alarm. They’re concerned that these changes could harm the quality of care Islanders receive.
Dr. Cassell had in the past praised the Physician Services Agreement as “transformational” and “the best in the country.” She pointed out the Medical Society was not included in discussions leading up to the new targets. Rather, the implementation of these key performance indicators (KPIs) has the potential to develop a toxic climate for family doctors. So many are forced to consider migrating out of the province.
At present, an estimated 35,524 people living on Prince Edward Island do not have a family physician or nurse practitioner. The new target of 1,600 patients per family doctor raises questions about achievable workloads without compromising patient care.
Health P.E.I. and the Medical Society, meanwhile, are still very much in the loop on “meaningful and constructive” discussions toward overcoming these challenges.
“A key pillar of this agreement is the shared understanding and commitment that accountability must exist at every level of the health-care system.” – Dr. Krista Cassell
The mediation process has spurred creative solutions to lowering patient load. Simultaneously, it makes sure that people already enrolled in services keep getting their care without any breaks.
“While the mediation process unfolds, government, Health P.E.I., and [the society] will work together so Islanders will continue to gain access to primary care services — including those who are currently on the patient registry.” – Dr. Krista Cassell
These are more than cosmetic advancements that are radically transforming the healthcare landscape in P.E.I. With the emphasis on developing medical homes and medical neighborhoods, physicians are better able to set up practices today. At the top of our list is making it easier to attract and hire physicians. In doing so, we hope to shore up the healthcare workforce across the region.
Despite the challenges presented by these new benchmarks, all stakeholders maintain a commitment to improving healthcare access across the island.
“All parties agree to put forward our collective best efforts to continue to help position P.E.I. as a nationally competitive and attractive place to practise medicine so we can continue to recruit new longitudinal family physicians to P.E.I.” – Dr. Krista Cassell
