How associate physicians might improve access to health care on P.E.I.

Associate physicians are a new idea for Prince Edward Island, but Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kathie McNally says they could soon be having an impact on the province's health-care system.

Associate physicians are already practising in some jurisdictions. They are doctors with international training and experience, who by the standards of the local college of physicians and surgeons do not qualify for a medical licence.

That has left these doctors with nowhere to participate in providing health care for Islanders, but that is about to change. Health P.E.I. intends to advertise for the province's first five associate physicians within the next two weeks.

"What we're anticipating will happen is when the associate physicians apply there will be consideration given to their specific training and/or experience," said McNally.

"We would want to try to partner that associate physician with an appropriate clinical area or program that matches their training and experience."

Associate physicians will be matched with a fully-licensed doctor and practice in collaboration with them. How that collaboration works will vary by medical discipline, and will likely develop over time as the team becomes more comfortable with the ways they can support each other.

A team approach

The introduction of associate physicians fits in with the direction the health-care system is moving, said McNally.

"We're looking at how we can use other health-care providers and how we can work better in teams to care for patients," she said.

"Team-based care is really what the health-care providers are looking for, and that will help access for patients."

Close to 20 physician groups on the Island have expressed interest in working with associate physicians, and McNally said Health P.E.I. is already hearing from internationally-trained doctors living on the Island who are interested in the positions.

Matching available experience with current needs will play a role in the hiring process.

In some other places systems have been set up for associate physicians to train toward their full medical licence. This is not yet in place on P.E.I., and ultimately would be up to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of P.E.I. to approve, said McNally.