P.E.I. recruited 32 new doctors in the first half of 2024

The province hired a total of 32 new physicians in the first six months of 2024, according to P.E.I.'s Department of Health and Wellness.

That number compares to 24 hires in all of 2023. 

Health Minister Mark McLane said there have also been 12 doctors who've stopped practising in the province, for a net gain of 20 physicians.

"We've had some retirements, unfortunately we've had two physicians pass away this year .... we've had one transition within our system, and two resignations," McLane said.

The new physicians have all signed contracts agreeing to come to P.E.I., and some have already started practising.

The department indicated that 18 doctors will have started by the end of July, with 10 more expected to begin by the end of the end of the year.

Three will begin in 2025, and one in 2026.

'It's not minus 11'

Of the 32 new hires, 11 are family physicians. McLane said they won't all be full-time family doctors because some will also work in emergency medicine or palliative care.

"Obviously we know that primary care is a great concern and a great need that we have," McLane said.

"We want to be very transparent and give all the details with regards to those who we hired, where we hired them, what specialty they practise in."

As of July 8, P.E.I.'s patient registry — the provincial waitlist for a family doctor — has grown to more than 38,600 people, or about 22 per cent of the population.

McLane said Islanders will see the effects of the new hires on the registry's total within the next year or two.

"It does take time for those physicians to grow their practices," he said. "They see ... anywhere from 75 to 100 patients per month."

While it won't get everyone off the patient registry, McLane said it's a step in the right direction.

"We understand that people would like to see [more] than 11, but it's plus 11 and it's not minus 11."

Majority will work in Queens County

A document released by the Department of Health and Wellness shows that the vast majority of the new hires (23) will practise in Queens County, including four hired at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown.

That compares to six doctors for East Prince — five of whom will practise at Summerside's Prince County Hospital — two in West Prince, and one in Kings County.

Although there are incentives for doctors to practise in rural areas of the Island, McLane said it's up to the individual physician to decide where in the province they want to work.

"Ultimately every net new physician helps every Islander no matter where they live," he said.

"As we increase the number of physicians, it does help our entire system."

McLane expects improvements to the province's locum strategy will also bulk up the number of physicians who practise in West Prince.

"I think we're very attractive to many physicians to come here for six or eight weeks, bring their family, maybe practise three or four days a week and have a quasi-working vacation," McLane said.

'We're ready to act'

McLane said he's personally attended two physician recruiting events in the past few weeks, said the future UPEI medical school is being discussed as a positive.

"It is helping our recruitment efforts. People want to work with learners," he said.

"It's a unique opportunity, especially for those physicians ... sunsetting their career [who] may want to teach two days a week and practise for three."

While hiring in the second half of 2024 is expected to be slower than the first, McLane hopes the progress made since January will continue.

"When physicians want to move, we're ready to act."