95 Per Cent Of Nova Scotians Have A Family Doctor

More Nova Scotians have access to a regular family doctor than any other Canadians, according to the latest health report from Statistics Canada.

The 2003 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) found that 94.9 per cent of Nova Scotians have a regular family doctor, well above the national average of 85.8 per cent.

"Access to a family doctor and other primary health-care providers makes a big difference to the well-being of many Nova Scotians," said Health Minister Angus MacIsaac. "That's why, through Nova Scotia's plan for better health care -- Your Health Matters -- we have been working so hard with our community partners to attract new doctors and keep them in the province. Although there is certainly more to be done, we're seeing some positive results."

Recruiting doctors requires a collaborative and continuous effort by district health authorities, communities, local doctors and the provincial physician recruitment office. Already, in 2004, about 16 new family doctors have come to various communities in the province.

A five-year incentive program is offered in 21 rural communities. The program provides an annual bonus for each completed year of service, moving expenses, continuing medical education funding and guaranteed minimum billing (income) for the year. At present, 28 of the 34 positions are filled.

Other provincial programs include: start-up contracts for family doctors, alternative funding payment plans, a debt assistance program, and a physician recruitment office that maintains a recruitment website and co-ordinates site visits, advertising, and CV distribution within the province.

The move to develop more opportunities for community-based services (Primary Health Care) includes building multi- professional care teams. These teams will help improve access to health services for residents and improve the quality of work life for health professionals. Nurse practitioners, who work jointly with family doctors, are one example of this Primary Health Care system at work. There are currently 13 nurse practitioner positions in Nova Scotia.

Although the statistics released this week are positive for Nova Scotia, there are still thousands of residents who do not have a family doctor.

To help people find a doctor, the Department of Health offers a provincial directory of doctors who are taking new patients. This is available to Nova Scotians via the Internet on the website at www.gov.ns.ca/health/physicians/physicians.asp and via a telephone information line (902-424-3047).

Ongoing recruitment efforts are also targeted at specialists, both for urban and rural areas. In the past few months, about 15 new specialists have been recruited including doctors specializing in obstetrics and psychiatry in Southwest Nova and in anesthesiology and general surgery in Cumberland County.

To help meet future demands, doctors across Nova Scotia are being consulted on a physician resource plan to ensure that Nova Scotia has the right number of family doctors and specialists working in the right places, now and in the future.

Having an appropriate number of family doctors and specialists across the province is critical for a stable health-care system.