New patient targets for family doctors could hurt P.E.I.'s reputation, says national college
The College of Family Physicians of Canada is raising concerns over new targets for family doctors on P.E.I. and calling on all parties to work together to find a solution.
"I'm feeling pretty sad. There seems to have been a significant breakdown in trust and in the relationship, and that's really hard, when people stop being able to trust one another," college president Dr. Carrie Bernard told CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin.
Last week, the Medical Society of Prince Edward Island announced plans for legal action against Health P.E.I., citing what it says is a breach of its agreement with the province.
The society said the new targets for how many patients each doctor needs to accept are not what it agreed to when it signed a new physician services agreement with the province last year.
Bernard said that agreement, which made P.E.I. the first province to officially recognize family medicine as a specialty, a move that includes higher pay, was celebrated across the country.
But she said the recent policy development undermines that progress and can make physicians feel not valued and respected by the system in which they play a foundational role.
Health P.E.I.'s new operational guide includes key performance indicators, or KPIs, that include a requirement that each family doctor will see 24 patients a day, based on an average appointment being 15 minutes long.
It also says each full-time family doctor should have a minimum of 1,600 patients on the books, or panel size, which Bernard calls an "arbitrary number."
Penalties can be imposed if the minimum isn't met.
Impact on recruitment and retention
On Monday, P.E.I. Health Minister Mark McLane told CBC News that the targets are intended to help the government collect information and evaluate how the new physician services agreement is working.
He also pointed out that Health P.E.I. was giving doctors and their association six weeks to provide feedback on the new guidelines, and said there will be no punitive measures during the first year of the agreement.
P.E.I. health minister 'confident' province, family doctors can reach compromise on workload targets
4 days ago
Duration 7:17
Health Minister Mark McLane responded for the first time to the legal battle brewing between the province's medical society and the P.E.I. government over new targets for how many patients family physicians see per day. McLane tells CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin that the guidelines are still in draft form, and says he wants to work with doctors to resolve their pending legal challenge.
Bernard agreed that accountability matters.
"I don't think any family physician thinks they should not be accountable. We expect the accountabilities, however, to be informed by the professionals who are actually providing the care," she said.
The good news story 100 per cent was well shared across the country with great excitement, and right now there is a significant pause in that good news and a significant second look across the country about what's going to happen in P.E.I. — Dr. Carrie Bernard
"This just sort of came out of nowhere, without consultation and discussion and collaboration and negotiation."
She added that setting a blanket number for patient panels is too simplistic and doesn't reflect the reality of family practice.
Bernard warned that just as the news of last year's agreement was celebrated across the country, this policy shift could have consequences on physician recruitment and retention.
"Family doctors talk, and they talk to each other, not just to recruiters," she said.
"So the good news story 100 per cent was well shared across the country with great excitement, and right now there is a significant pause in that good news and a significant second look across the country about what's going to happen in P.E.I."
New target 'out of keeping' with national average
Bernard said the 1,600 figure is "out of keeping" with the national average of about 1,200 patients per family physician.
"The issue of numbers is that if a doctor has too many patients for the number of hours they have available to see their patients, you might have a family doctor in name, but you may not be able to actually see your family doctor," she said.
She added that even the 1,200 average can vary greatly depending on the complexity of patients.
Society representing P.E.I. doctors is suing Health P.E.I. over new targets for family physicians
7 days ago
Duration 2:40
Health P.E.I. is planning to change how family physicians are expected to work in the province. The Medical Society of P.E.I. says that was not part of negotiations that led up to a new Physician Services Agreement, so it has initiated legal action, saying some doctors will leave the province over this. CBC's Stacey Janzer reports.
For instance, doctors who serve many patients with chronic illnesses, as well as newcomers or refugee families who require translation, may need to spend more time per visit, which means they can handle fewer patients overall.
The same is true for physicians with added responsibilities, such as teaching or taking on leadership roles in the community or hospital system, she said.
"In smaller places like Prince Edward Island, where we're asking many family doctors to take on leadership roles — same thing," she said. "If you have to take on a leadership role, either in your family health team or at the hospital, that limits the number of patients you can see."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
CTV National News: Experimental diabetes treatments hits major milestone
Watch A Canadian woman is praising an experimental treatment for diabetes. Avis Favaro with more on her experience.
CBC
8 hours ago
- CBC
Interior Health's plans to close lab in Trail, B.C. leaves mayor and residents blindsided
Interior Health plans to close its Trail medical lab on July 28, moving those employees to the hospital and the lab's services to LifeLabs, a private company, but the mayor and some residents are calling for the health authority to reconsider. The move, announced in a press release on June 13, would mean people in need of lab services such as blood tests and electrocardiograms (ECGs) will have to go to LifeLabs in Waneta Plaza, about 6 kilometres east of the Interior Health lab, which is downtown in the Trail Health Centre. Interior Health said the lab is being closed to make the best use of staffing resources and to improve testing for patients at Trail's Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital, which serves a large area including communities from Grand Forks to Nelson. Since the announcement, CBC News has heard from the mayor and a handful of Trail residents who say they were shocked by the decision and that there was little consultation on the matter. The mayor is hoping that Interior Health will reconsider, or at least meet with the community to hear their concerns. "There was no consultation, we had no idea it was happening," Mayor Colleen Jones told CBC News, adding that staff also had little notice. Joanne Isbur, Interior Health's program director for pathology and lab medicine services, said staff will shift to the hospital to improve acute care and emergency department response. She said there are "staffing deficits" across the region, and the extra staff at the hospital will also improve services for urgent and critical patients, like cancer care and those with pre-surgical requirements. "Interior Health recognizes that this is a significant change for patients and care providers, and employees. We've provided some time for patients to transition over to the LifeLabs location," Isbur said. She pointed out that LifeLabs is working in partnership with the Provincial Health Services Authority and the Ministry of Health, so services offered through LifeLabs will still be covered under the Medical Services Plan. Resident Helen Bobbitt has antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, an autoimmune condition which can cause blood clots. She relies on the clinic for regular testing and said the move is a mistake. "I have a blood clot disorder, and if it weren't for the staff in the location of this lab, where I have to sometimes go and get last-minute lab work and have been doing so for the last 22 years, I wouldn't be able to stay on top of things," Bobbitt said. "If they (Interior Health) can do this, with no – zero – consultation, what else can they do?" She also voiced frustration about no longer having a lab located downtown, adding that the lab has been a staple in the community for more than 20 years. Mayor Jones said the infrequent bus service to the Waneta Plaza will make the location more difficult for seniors and people with mobility issues to access. On Thursday, Jones said she hopes Interior Health will reconsider the closure. She has requested a meeting with the health authority. CBC News reached out to Interior Health for comment and they said they are working on a response. Bobbit said she's also concerned about the influx of patients at LifeLabs creating long wait-times and reducing their staffing resources. She said people from several other outlying communities, like Fruitvale, about 16 kilometres east of Trail, rely on the Interior Health lab. "You're giving no choice but to drive everybody to one location that's only open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., with no transportation to rely on to get there safely," Bobbit said. Capacity not an issue, says Interior Health The Trail Health Centre lab saw approximately 80 to 85 patients per day over the past six months, Interior Health said, adding LifeLabs has the ability to take on these new patients. "LifeLabs developed that location to accommodate the Trail community population. They do have the capacity to meet patient volumes," Isbur said. In an emailed statement to CBC News, LifeLabs confirmed it is prepared to take on the large number of new patients, adding that the location in Trail has been open since 2023. "We will be working closely with Interior Health to ensure a smooth transition for patients and health-care providers. We look forward to continuing to provide reliable, efficient, and trustworthy services for the community of Trail," the lab said in the statement. It added that all patients who visit LifeLabs will have access to a portal that can be used to manage appointments and view results through MyCareCompass. This is separate from the MyHealthPortal with Interior Health.
CTV News
9 hours ago
- CTV News
Wildfire smoke prompts air quality warnings in Manitoba
Trees burned by wildfires in northern Manitoba are shown during a helicopter tour in the surrounding area of Flin Flon, Man., on Thursday, June 12, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mike Deal-Pool Several Manitoba communities are under air quality advisories Saturday due to wildfire smoke. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) issued warnings for Berens River, Bloodvein and Little Grand Rapids because the smoke is causing poor air quality and reduced visibility. ECCC has also issued air quality statements for areas including Winnipeg, Brandon and the Interlake. 'High levels of air pollution have developed due to smoke from forest fires,' Environment Canada warned. 'Smoke plumes moving over southern Manitoba from forest fires in northwest Ontario have resulted in deteriorated air quality in the area.' The weather agency said widespread improvement is expected by Saturday evening. ECCC air quality Manitoba Environment and Climate Change Canada issued air quality warnings and statements for parts of Manitoba on June 21, 2025. ECCC warns that smoke puts everyone's health at risk, but especially those over the age of 65, pregnant people, infants and young kids, those with existing illnesses, and people who work outside. To stay safe, the weather agency recommends limiting time outdoors, keeping windows and doors closed, and using a good quality air filter in your ventilation system. For those who must spend time outside, it's recommended that you wear a well-fitting respirator-type mask. Smoky conditions can lead to symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, as well as a headache or mild cough. More serious symptoms including wheezing, chest pains or severe cough. According to the provincial wildfire service, there were 22 fires burning in Manitoba with 6 deemed as 'out of control.'
