Dispute over Health P.E.I. benchmarks for family doctors now settled

Three of the biggest players in P.E.I.’s health-care system have reached an agreement that sets more flexible models for how many patients family doctors can and should handle.

Earlier this year, the Medical Society of Prince Edward Island entered mediation with the province's Department of Health and Wellness and Health P.E.I. over new operational guidelines for family doctors’ workloads.

The three parties have now agreed on an accountability framework for longitudinal family medicine on P.E.I., according to a joint news release from the three parties Thursday morning.

“The agreed upon framework establishes clear and achievable accountability measures of productivity to support equitable workloads and to ensure transparency and consistency in how care is delivered,” the release said.

The framework offers four practice models with various panel size expectations for family doctors, “providing flexibility to ensure models fit physicians, the health system and patient needs,” the release said.

“There are also new quality indicators focused on key areas that align with Health P.E.I.’s strategic goals. These combined indicators will provide valuable insights at both the system and individual levels, supporting continuous improvement in patient care and care delivery.”

This marks a shift from earlier concerns raised by the medical society, which worried that rigid workload targets could drive family doctors away from the Island.

Last year, the three parties celebrated the signing of a new Physician Services Agreement — the province’s contract with doctors — which took effect April 1.

But tensions surfaced earlier this year when physicians represented by the medical society voiced concerns over Health P.E.I.'s new operational guide.

That document included key performance indicators, or KPIs, that set out a requirement that each family doctor see 24 patients a day, based on an average appointment being 15 minutes long.

Health P.E.I. also wanted a full-time family physician to have 1,600 people on their patient roster, although CEO Melanie Fraser later insisted that was a maximum number, not a minimum as the society understood the phrasing. 

Supported by the College of Family Physicians of Canada, the medical society even threatened legal action. The society had warned that the targets could push family doctors off the Island.

“This agreement reflects the shared commitment of the Department of Health and Wellness, Health P.E.I. and the Medical Society of Prince Edward Island to recruit and retain family physicians and work toward the goal of connecting every Islander to primary care,” the release said.

“This memorandum of understanding helps P.E.I. move forward in ensuring the Physician Services Agreement offers one of the most competitive physician compensation packages in Canada, along with new flexible practice options and clear accountability measures.”