Would a regional physician licence bring more doctors to P.E.I.?

The P.E.I. College of Physicians and Surgeons licenses all doctors on P.E.I. and says it is exploring options to make it easier for physicians outside the province to practice on the Island. 

P.E.I. has a shortage of doctors and the patient registry of those waiting for a family doctor has climbed steadily to more than 15,000 Islanders.

The idea to streamline doctor accreditation in Atlantic Canada is not a new one. Creating a single licensing process to allow doctors to practice all across Atlantic Canada or even the entire country has been talked about for years by Island politicians.

A year ago in Charlottetown, the four Atlantic premiers of the day identified this as a priority.

P.E.I.'s health and social development committee Wednesday was given an update from the P.E.I. College of Physicians and Surgeons. Registrar Dr. Cyril Moyse told the committee the process is slowly moving forward and meetings have taken place over the past two years.

Regional licence for doctors?

MLA Cory Deagle said offering a regional licence for doctors in Atlantic Canada would make it easier to find doctors from out of province to fill in at the ER at the Kings County Memorial Hospital in his district. The hospital's ER has been shut down numerous times due to staffing shortages. 

"If we can somehow, even on the locum level ... say, you know, if you want to come here and practice for a certain amount of time to help out in an ER for two days then we will make that process easier," Deagle said.

"Expedite it so we can possibly keep our ERs open."

Deagle said he plans to continue pushing the issue in the legislature.

However, greater mobility could also allow more Island doctors to leave for neighbouring provinces and make the P.E.I. shortage worse. 

"The cost for a regional licence will be more. The cost for a national licence will be even more. So it is not going to be cheaper for physicians for sure," Moyse said.

"My own bias — if it is easier to move around regions I think we will lose more than we gain."

Moyse said it might not solve P.E.I.'s doctor shortage but he still thinks a regional licence would be good for the system as a whole.

"I'm a proponent for national licence personally," Moyse told CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin. "I think regional is the stepping stone."

He said the best approach would be to harmonize health-care legislation in all four Atlantic provinces.

Short and long-term goals

In the short term Moyse points to something like a Nexus card approach. A Nexus card gives pre-clearance to those approved, allowing them avoid long lineups when travelling between Canada and the United States.

That means a physician's credentials would be assessed, then they would get a pass for a number of days to go and work in a facility outside the province where they regularly practice.

He said the card would show other provinces a doctor is credentialed and has a clean record.

Though regional and national licensing are long-term goals Moyse said they are achievable and worth pursuing.

Creating a regional licence would require all Atlantic provinces to agree to a regional health act, something Deagle said could take a lot of work — but he is also optimistic it is achievable. 

"I know Nova Scotia and Newfoundland are in support of it from what I've seen. I think if we all come together and work toward it, it can happen. You know, hopefully it's not going to take five years," Deagle said.

"I think it is something that could move faster if we want it to."

More from CBC P.E.I.