Family doctors in Prince Edward Island are expressing concerns over the recent agreement outlining the patient workload expectations for physicians, fearing it may lead some doctors to leave the province. The agreement, announced in December by the Medical Society of P.E.I., the provincial Department of Health and Wellness, and Health P.E.I., aimed to establish workload targets for doctors, allowing for variations in patient numbers.
While the three parties initially viewed the agreement as a success, the P.E.I. College of Family Physicians disagreed. In a recent letter, the college highlighted worries about the potential negative impact on patient care due to the prescribed workloads. According to Dr. Trina Stewart, the college’s president, a significant portion of doctors surveyed expressed concerns that the new agreement could drive physicians away from the province, leading to potential changes in practice that could affect patient access to care.
The agreement, which took effect in April 2025, introduced key performance indicators requiring each family doctor to see an average of 24 patients per day, with appointments set at 15 minutes each. Health P.E.I. initially aimed for full-time family physicians to have 1,600 patients on their roster, clarifying later that this was a maximum rather than a minimum requirement.
The College of Family Physicians conducted a survey involving 62 family doctors who are contemplating adjustments to their practice, such as reducing full-time status, cutting back on patient numbers, altering teaching commitments, or even leaving Prince Edward Island entirely. Doctors are advocating for better acknowledgment of additional responsibilities like teaching, home visits, and palliative care, as well as the reduction of administrative burdens on healthcare staff.
In response to the college’s concerns, the Medical Society of P.E.I. affirmed its support for the agreement, emphasizing its role in establishing an accountability framework that could enhance physician recruitment and retention in the province. The statement acknowledged the challenges posed by significant changes amid existing strains on the healthcare system.
The opposition parties in P.E.I. swiftly reacted to the college’s letter, with the Liberal Party criticizing the government’s understanding of family medicine and the Green Party warning against the potential consequences of the government’s healthcare direction. Both opposition parties urged the government to address the college’s concerns before the January 31 deadline.
Health P.E.I. defended the framework, developed through mediation with physicians and health system partners, as a crucial step toward a more robust and sustainable healthcare system. The organization highlighted the collaborative effort with the Medical Society of PEI and family physicians in crafting the agreement, emphasizing their commitment to working together for successful implementation.
Overall, the dispute over workload expectations for family doctors in Prince Edward Island continues to raise concerns among healthcare professionals and political stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of addressing these issues to ensure quality patient care and physician retention.
