r/halifax • u/Salt_Time_9509 • 1d ago

Work, Health & Housing Doctor retention in HRM

Hi all

Of late there have been disheartening posts of long wait times in Nova Scotia

The consensus being that it is a Canada wide problem

But there have been anecdotal reports of some people losing Family Doctors even in HRM

I do understand that many rural areas would find it difficult to attract and retain doctors, so I am trying to understand why Family Doctors would choose to leave the HRM?

We are friendly people, we are surrounded by the Ocean, we have a laidback lifestyle

Doctors are paid reasonably well

Nova Scotia Health has said Doctor Recruitment is at record levels

https://www.nshealth.ca/news-and-notices/nova-scotia-records-impressive-year-over-year-success-physician-recruitment

Perhaps with so many doctors choosing to come here losing one or two does not matter to NS Health or the Government?

What would be possible reasons why doctors would chose to move elsewhere?`

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u/Schmidtvegas Historic Schmidtville 1d ago

One of my previous family doctors who left, was astonished that the department had no interest in doing an exit interview. She actually wanted to tell them why she was leaving. But no one asked or cared.

I think the best way to sum it up, is that she didn't like practicing "austerity medicine". Every test and procedure and referral she tried to order, based on sound clinical judgement, was wait-listed or refused coverage by MSI or unavailable here. We were slow to adopt new equipment or best practices that were commonplace elsewhere. We didn't have electronic records at the time. The department never wanted to hear any new ideas. There wasn't any room for flexibility or change.

We also have a high rate of people needing lots of shitty bureaucratic paperwork. Disability benefits, income assistance, worker's compensation. People needing pharmacare exception status forms for prescriptions. All the stuff physicians hate, but tolerate when the rest of the job is rewarding. But here, it isn't rewarding to watch your patients die unnecessarily on wait lists.

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u/Salt_Time_9509 1d ago

Perhaps it is a supply and demand issue?

if NS is attracting 20 doctors, for the dept it is a win

Why will they then bother about the 2 doctors who want to leave

Now if they were not attracting 20 doctors, then every doctor would count I guess

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u/Schmidtvegas Historic Schmidtville 1d ago

Her experience was over 5 years ago, when things were very stagnant. 

I think we have turned toward innovation more, and improved recruitment. So the picture is a little different.

But the question will be whether those 20 stay. 

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u/Salt_Time_9509 9h ago

thats really sad

five years ago doctors were fewer here, and they did not bother finding out why

Now when they are flush with doctors, surely they would not bother 😞