Nova Scotia health-care system undergoing ‘transition,’ minister says

Nova Scotia’s population is growing like never before.

With that comes more demand from the health-care system.

And while the number of Nova Scotians on the Need a Family Practice Registry increases, Health Minister Michelle Thompson says that’s only one data point when looking at the overall health-care system.

“The registry is an attachment,” Thompson said during a video interview Thursday.

“We want people to know there are access points.”

She still encouraged people on the registry to make sure they’ve updated their health information as patients are now being selected based on a triage system, but pointed out that even people who have a family doctor or nurse practitioner struggle with access because of busy practices.

That’s where other measures come into play.

“The old way will not always be the new way,” Thompson said.

“So, part of the transition is to learn how to access care throughout the province.”

Thompson said Nova Scotians across the province have been accessing different ways of health care through means such as primary care walk-in clinics staffed by doctors and nurse practitioners, community pharmacy primary care clinics, mobile clinics and virtual care.

For example, Thompson said in the first several months of primary care clinics, more than 3,000 people were assessed for strep throat. Meanwhile, there were 50,000 virtual care appointments available in Nova Scotia month over month.

Thompson acknowledged there were 150,000 people registered on Nova Scotia’s Need a Family Practice Registry as of July 1, however, she encouraged people to take advantage of the services available near them if they have low acute issues.

“I know it’s a new way. We’re accustomed to having one singular place for care. … That model of care isn’t the future,” Thompson said. “We’re going to have teams of individuals who help us and we’re going to have multiple places to access care.”

People with questions or concerns can call 811 to speak with a nurse or may search the internet for primary care clinics, mobile clinics or virtual appointments available to them.

And as always, she said for people to call 911 in an emergency.

“In an emergency room, the triage system is really the compass that indicates what point you will be seen,” she said. “Emergencies will always be seen first.”

Meanwhile, recruiting health-care professionals is still a top priority for the provincial government.

Suzanne Ley, senior executive director for the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment, said Nova Scotia has been able to bring in more doctors and nurse practitioners than previous years with 168 doctors and 57 nurse practitioners joining the province’s workforce.

“Since April to the end of July, we already have 48 new physicians coming to our province, including 13 family physicians,” said Ley, adding there’s “a global health-care shortage.”

Ley noted the province has made recent changes, such as making it easier to become licensed, which has resulted in people being able to practice to their full scope quicker.

There are also incentives being offered to doctors, most recently a $10,000 incentive to accept at least 50 new higher needs patients. The Health Department said 26 physicians took the province up on that offer and more have expressed their interest but haven’t applied before the Oct. 31 deadline.

And while the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment used to focus on recruiting doctors, nurses and continuing care assistants, Ley said it now is focusing on the entire health-care system.

“When we’re recruiting for one part of the system, we look at how is that impacting another part of the system,” she said. “The results have been really heartening and it makes me really proud to be a Nova Scotian.”