P.E.I. Health Minister Aims to Mend Doctor Relations

Acting Health Minister Cory Deagle has identified mending the relationship with physicians as a top priority in his new role. This initiative comes as three family doctors on P.E.I. have announced their departure, which will leave around 4,500 patients without primary care providers. Dr. Heather Austin, one of the departing physicians, has publicly cited concerns regarding Health P.E.I.'s treatment of family doctors as a reason for closing her practice.

A significant point of contention is the implementation of the new Physician Services Agreement. While initially supported, physicians now have reservations about how Health P.E.I. intends to roll it out. Minister Deagle acknowledged that the agreement itself is sound but its implementation has been problematic. He stressed the necessity of bringing physicians and the medical society back to the table to ensure their concerns are taken seriously and to "press reset" on the implementation process, potentially by extending deadlines.

Deagle has engaged directly with concerned physicians, including Dr. Austin and Dr. Mitchell Stewart, and has also met with the Medical Society of P.E.I. to listen to their feedback. He recognizes that rebuilding trust will require time and visible actions. In parallel, Health P.E.I. is establishing an advisory panel comprising publicly appointed board members to gather input from physicians, with the panel expected to convene by the end of March and conclude by August 31.