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New Model Aims to Solve P.E.I. Patient Waitlist
8 Oct
Summary
- Team-based care at UPEI aims to reduce patient waitlists.
- Patients may see different providers at each appointment.
- This experimental approach seeks to improve recruitment and retention.
Health P.E.I. is introducing an experimental approach to primary care at UPEI's patient medical home, affiliating 2,600 people with an entire team of providers rather than a single doctor or nurse practitioner. This strategy aims to bolster staff recruitment and retention, preventing patient reassignments when a provider departs. Patients may see different healthcare professionals at each visit, with all team members accessing a shared record to ensure continuity of care.
The UPEI pilot, which has affiliated 1,250 people with a team since its summer/fall start, has hired new nurse practitioners and a doctor. Health P.E.I. anticipates launching this team-based affiliation in the coming weeks, with hundreds more people being notified of their upcoming affiliation. This initiative represents an evolution from the 19 existing patient medical homes on the Island, where patients are still tied to a single provider.
Officials believe this experimental model could enhance both patient access and caregiver satisfaction. The hope is that if one provider leaves, the team can distribute the care among its members, thereby keeping patients off the provincial registry. This approach is seen as a significant opportunity for learning and evolving healthcare delivery on P.E.I.
