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P.E.I. Doctors Quit, 4,500 Patients Lose Care
28 Feb
Summary
- Three doctors are leaving their Prince Edward Island practices.
- This departure leaves approximately 4,500 patients without primary care.
- Health P.E.I. faces challenges in recruitment and retention efforts.
Three physicians are stepping down from their practices on Prince Edward Island, impacting an estimated 4,500 patients who will soon be without primary care. Dr. Andrew MacLeod is retiring from his Montague practice as of May 31, 2026. Dr. Mitchell Stewart will close his Parkdale Medical Centre practice on April 2, 2026. Dr. Heather Austin has confirmed her resignation from her Summerside practice by the summer of 2028, citing a move back to Nova Scotia.
Austin expressed significant disappointment with the healthcare system's treatment of physicians. Health P.E.I. confirmed that no doctors are currently slated to take over MacLeod's or Stewart's practices. The health authority stated it remains committed to physician recruitment and retention, noting one new family physician has started in 2026 and another is expected in September 2026. Additionally, six nurse practitioners have accepted conditional offers.
These departures coincide with Health P.E.I. reporting that the provincial healthcare system has been operating beyond capacity since early January 2026. Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown experienced severe overcapacity, utilizing unconventional spaces for patient care. The Medical Society of P.E.I. indicated no net gain in longitudinal family physicians over the past year, highlighting physicians being pushed to their limits and the need to repair the relationship with doctors.
