New doctor registry cuts barriers to practice across Atlantic provinces, says regulatory college – Halifax
Atlantic Premier is committed to creating regional physician registries to make it easier for physicians to practice across four states.
But they say it’s just a small piece of the puzzle when it comes to fixing the health care system, and the regulator that oversees health care professionals in Nova Scotia agrees.
The Nova Scotia College of Physicians and Surgeons says the new regional license registration will help reduce bureaucracy and paperwork.
“These doctors indicate their willingness to register and provide the necessary consents to share information. Once registered, they are essentially fully licensed in all four states,” registrar and CEO Gus Dr. Grant explains.
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He hopes the measure will help provide better quality care to patients, but it’s unlikely to have a significant impact on the number of doctors.
“Once a year, if it means, say, the emergency room in Amherst won’t close, it could be a pinch hit with a doctor from Moncton running in at the last minute,” he says. ”
The new physician registry was announced Monday after the Atlantic Premiere conference in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The Atlantic Prime Minister says doctors can already travel, but this allows them to temporarily participate in addressing medical disparities between states, including covering doctors’ vacations.
“They can get licenses in as many states as they like,” Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said. It makes it easier to move around, and it’s a first step that requires a bigger discussion.”
The PEI prime minister said this won’t solve everything, but it will help the ailing health system.
“What we do for our health is not a magic bullet that miraculously solves everything,” says Dennis King. “But this is another little thing that keeps us going.” I think that’s it.”
Nova Scotia’s Liberal Health Critic said the move would not reduce the waiting list for family doctors, which currently number more than 133,000.
“The way to improve health care is to bring in more family doctors, not poach them or bring them in from other states,” says Brendan Maguire. “It’s just a little decoration.”
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Grant is unsure whether states will pluck from Nova Scotia’s pool of doctors.
“Canadian medical licensing standards are high,” he says. “Physicians who practice in either state choose to practice there.
He says the initiative may be particularly appealing to new physicians who want to explore different communities before settling into practice.
Grant hopes the prime minister will closely monitor the initiative and track its impact.
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Meanwhile, the president of the New Brunswick Medical Society issued a statement saying she was encouraged by the new enrollment.
“Improving physician mobility is a key factor in addressing the health workforce problem across the Atlantic provinces and across Canada,” says Dr. Michelle Michaud.
“The new registry will provide physicians with greater flexibility while improving patient access to care. This is a positive step in that direction.”
The Atlantic Registry is scheduled to launch on May 1st.
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