More money for Nova Scotia doctors

Physicians will receive more compensation when treating complex medical issues and there will also be bonuses for those who practice in rural areas, a feature that Health Minister Chris d’Entremont suggests could entice doctors to the province.

“I’d say anything that improves our ability to attract physicians is positive,” noted David Irvine of the local physician-recruitment organization MEDIC (Medical Emergency Digby in Crisis). “But what I’ve read so far—it’s sketchy.”

Digby lost two family physicians last year—one to retirement and one to relocation. Now Digby General Hospital’s emergency department provides services to many of the families in the area who do not have doctors.

“I noticed that the fees for physicians in rural emergency rooms hasn’t been negotiated yet, and that’s the one that really affects us here in Digby,” Irvine said.

Dr. Don Pugsley, president of Doctors Nova Scotia, says details for doctors in the province’s smaller emergency rooms are still being worked out, but money has been set aside for those negotiations. The contract provides a 16 per cent increase to doctors who work in larger emergency departments.

’Step in right direction’

Pugsley acknowledges the new agreement won’t solve all of Nova Scotia’s health care issues, but says it’s a step in the right direction.

Donna Tidd and her family have encountered many of Digby’s health care issues. They have been without a doctor since theirs retired last fall. Tidd has made two trips to Digby General Hospital’s emergency department in the last few months. Her husband broke his ankle—unfortunately on a Thursday when the emergency department was closed.

Two weeks ago, Roger Tidd suffered a heart attack. Diagnosed at Digby’s ER, he was sent to the Halifax Infirmary for an angiogram and treatment. Now back in the area, the Sandy Cove man requires blood work and regular follow up. “We don’t have any other choice,” said Donna Tidd. “We’ll be going to the ER.”

It gives Tidd a firsthand perspective for her role as chair of Digby’s community health board, the organization that presents local health concerns to the South West Nova District Health Authority.

Tidd said she would love to see a nurse practitioner employed in the Digby Regional Hospital’s emergency department and believes such a set-up could reduce the physician workload there to a more manageable level.

Cooperative vision

She would also like to see a cooperative medical practice set up in the area—with two new family physicians and a nurse practitioner.

Tidd’s vision for Digby is apparently shared with the province. Nova Scotia’s new plan awards doctors who work in cooperative group practices and includes cash to allow them to hire nurse practitioners.