Opposition parties demand answers following temporary closure of virtual health-care clinic

Both opposition parties are demanding answers from government following the temporary closure of a virtual health-care program that offers medical services to Islanders without a family doctor. 

Health PEI issued a statement Tuesday, saying the service was temporarily unavailable due to physician coverage issues.

Maple launched last year on P.E.I., five months into the COVID-19 pandemic, as a way to reduce the number of patients visiting walk-in clinics or emergency departments. Through the Maple virtual care program, Islanders are able to consult with a doctor via text, phone or video conference.

"When a request from a patient comes in, physicians located on P.E.I. have the first opportunity to take the call," Health PEI said in a statement. "If they are unavailable, a physician off-Island who is associated with Maple may take the call."

According to Health PEI, any doctor who virtually "sees" Island patients needs to be licensed to practise medicine on P.E.I., and there aren't enough doctors to staff the service right now. 

During question period in the P.E.I. Legislature, Liberal MLA Hal Perry said the virtual care offered through Maple was supposed to be a temporary solution to a physician shortage on the Island, and now it seems even that isn't working. 

"I've been around for quite a while and I've dealt with constituents who don't use or don't have a family doctor and they are frustrated by reality," Perry said.

"What do I tell them now? How do I explain the fact that they now have a doctor shortage and a virtual doctor shortage?"

Green MLA Michele Beaton also said in establishing the program government decided to privatize health care offerings which was a "last-ditch effort to Band-Aid a serious lack of services."

"When are you going to finally work with our physicians to provide public, accessible health care?" she asked. 

Health PEI has call out for more virtual physicians

Health Minister Ernie Hudson said he has reached out to Health PEI and officials are working with Maple to reopen the service as soon as possible. He said this closure emphasizes a staffing problem being felt here on P.E.I. and across the country. 

"It shows the challenges we have right across the board with regard to human resources, with regard to physicians, with regard to nurses," Hudson said. 

He said officials with Health PEI are now looking at other options to staff the service. 

In a statement to CBC News, Health PEI said there are currently three doctors on the Island who are providing virtual service on a regular basis.

The agency also said it is "working to dedicate more resources to this program to avoid closures like this in the future. This includes the use of a full-time physician who is located off-Island to provide virtual service within the next several weeks, licensing of more off-Island physicians through Maple and investigating whether other health professionals may be used."

Health PEI has also put out a call to local physicians on P.E.I. who might want to provide virtual services. 

Maple to reopen Monday 

But for Perry, that's not good enough. 

"This has only worsened under this government and they need to address it, they need to give confidence to Islanders," Perry said. 

He said the closure of this virtual service sends a message to Islanders that government doesn't have a plan to meet health care needs.

"The short-term plan was a temporary measure," he said. "Obviously today, with the announcement, that's not working, and there is no backup plan. Islanders deserve better health care." 

According to the province's patient registry, more than 20,000 Islanders are currently waiting for a family doctor.

Hudson said the need to temporarily close the service does concern him, but also shows that the province needs to look at creative, new ways to provide primary care to Islanders. 

According to Maple, the program will stay closed for the remainder of the week and is set to reopen on Monday, Nov. 1, at 8 a.m. 

Health PEI advises anyone with emergency medical needs to call 911 or seek emergency services when:

• Experiencing discomfort or tightness in the chest.
• Experiencing unusual shortness of breath.
• Experiencing abdominal pain.
• Experiencing prolonged and persistent headache or dizziness.
• An injury may require stitches or involve a broken bone.
• A child has prolonged diarrhea or vomiting.
• A baby under six months of age has a fever of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher.

Anyone with health concerns or who needs immediate health information is advised to call 811 to speak to an experienced registered nurse for advice on the best course of action.

Those in need of primary care may attend a walk-in clinic where available.