Doctors Nova Scotia, a professional association representing physicians in the province, hosted more than 25 doctors at a meeting in Dartmouth on Saturday to try to find a solution to a problem they say is preventing members from doing their jobs.
They said they wanted to bring together physicians from different backgrounds to begin developing a new primary care payment model better suited to the needs of Nova Scotians.
“We’re in an antiquated model right now where the majority are fee-for-service, so it’s a volume driven service, ” said Dr. Manoj Vohra.
“The patient population at this point is getting older, they require more time, and our present model doesn’t actually reflect the amount of time of compensation that physicians need to make sure patients get healthy care.”
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They said under the fee-for-service payment model, doctors are usually compensated for the number of services they provide as opposed to the length of time they spend with patients or collaborating with other healthcare providers. That can sometimes mean that patients are being pushed out the door before having all their issues addressed due to time constraints.
With thousands of Nova Scotians currently on a wait list for a family doctor, Doctors Nova Scotia said the current system is doing nothing to address the shortage.
“It goes back to retention and recruitment of our physicians and how we keep good family doctors in Nova Scotia,” said Vohra.
“To have that and to achieve that requires us to have the right blended payment model, which is why we’re here today.”
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Dr. Tim Holland, president-elect with Doctors Nova Scotia said the current payment models are not working in Nova Scotia, adding he’d like to see the province take a lesson from places like New Brunswick.
“They’ve done a lot of good work with the physicians in that province to create a payment model and a structure that’s much more appealing to family doctors,” said Holland.
“We just heard from a colleague that three family physicians from Nova Scotia are moving to New Brunswick and this is an ongoing issue and so what we want to do is replicate those successes.”
He said the issues with the current pay model go beyond just dollars and cents, affecting the way doctors are able to care for their patients on a daily basis.
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Bedford-based physician Dr. Natasha Deshwal said that in order to deliver the level of care her patients both need and deserve, she often has to log hours of unpaid work, sacrificing time at home with her family.
“It would be nice, in short, for family physicians to be able to see patients, treat them as they should be, without having to feel we’re being hurried,” she said.
“Patients will feel their needs are being addressed and we’ll also be properly compensated for the time we’re spending with our patients.”
Doctors Nova Scotia said they’ll be inviting government representatives and the Nova Scotia Health Authority to a meeting to discuss their findings.
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