Health PEI annual report outlines goals

Health PEI would like sick Islanders to be able to see a health professional within one day, instead of the up to 24 days it took last year.

That was one of a number of goals laid out in Health PEI's annual report, presented at a public meeting in Summerside Thursday night. CEO Richard Wedge said the agency has lots of work to do in primary care.

"We're hoping to have more front line family physicians or nurse practitioners to be able to see people either the same day or next when they're actually sick," said Wedge.

"We're looking at expanding primary care over the next few years to have more evening hours available in a number of communities across the province. Some weekend hours available as well so that people won't have to go to the emergency room as often."

The report says more 87 per cent of Islanders have a family doctor, but the wait lists for family doctors in Charlottetown and Summerside are still very long. Even for those who have doctors, it can take as long as 24 days to get in to see them.

Unexpected savings in pharmacare

The financial presentation at the meeting revealed Health PEI had about $4.75 million left over in its budget for the fiscal year ending March 31 of this year.

"It was primarily due to some unexpected results, we'll say, in the pharmacare programs, but we really don't expect those to continue on into this year," said executive director of finance Denise Lewis Flemming.

"There's going to be better program utilization this year, is what we expect."

The report also looked at general health trends on the Island.

It found efforts to get adults to stop smoking have been effective, but rates among youth are not coming down as they should. Physical activity and obesity rates are still very poor compared to the national average.

The report also laid out plans for improvement in mental health, patient flow through the system, and home care.

The full annual report and business plan for 2015-2016 can be found on Health PEI's website.