With the success of a pilot project to get more people a family doctor, Prince Edward County is providing an additional $75,000 to the Health Care Connect Premium for 2024.
The program offers a $25,000 incentive to doctors to help them increase their practice by 250 patients.
At Thursday’s Committee of the Whole, County Docs doctor recruiter Adam Hambly said the four premiums initially made available have been claimed and will result in 1,000 local patients coming off the provincial Health Care Connect waiting list over the next several months.
“We actually had a larger interest than expected with our physician group so additional physicians had actually expressed interest in the program. So we can reasonably expect one to three more premiums being accessed and so if those were to be filled, that represents another 750 patients coming off the Health Care Connect list.”
With all the premiums taken, that would be a projected 87 per cent reduction in the number of people on the wait list which currently sits at about 2,100.
Hambly estimates another 5,000 people who need a family doctor in Prince Edward County have not signed up for Health Care Connect, however, he expects more people to join the waiting list as they learn that others are being accepted by family practices.
Hambly said they are not aware of any other recruitment programs in Ontario running a similar program.
He noted the County is still short about seven doctors.
Councillor John Hirsch was all for the extra funding.
“I think personally it’s a no-brainer that we should provide another $75K for the premium that’s been successful. Let’s continue.”
Mayor Steve Ferguson said in the competitive world of doctor recruitment, programs like this are necessary but also told Hambly that council and county staff are there to help.
“Because health care for our residents is too important to not address and make sure that we remain more competitive than some of our neighbours are.”
The money to expand the program will come from from the Tax Stabilization Reserve.
The motion still needs final approval at the next meeting of council.
