Doctors NS president cautiously optimistic about province’s health care

The president of Doctors Nova Scotia says she is cautiously optimistic about the future of health care in this province.

The province's health care issues have been in the spotlight as it continues to deal with doctor shortages combined with an aging population.

But Dr. Leisha Hawker told CityNews Halifax we do appear to be going in the right direction.

“I would say I'm cautiously optimistic,” said Hawker. “The current government is engaging front-line workers, which I think is really important, they are actively engaged with Doctors Nova Scotia, I am regularly talking with the Minister of Health, and they are also doing a good job focusing on Primary Care.”

Hawker said we aren't currently training enough physicians to meet our current needs, but that the solution includes letting doctors work as long as they wish.

She also referred to a model called, “tip top”, where where a younger Physician would take on some of an older physician's case load as they gradually reduce their hours. This not only provides mentorship, for the younger physicians not ready to start their own practices, it also reaches more patients.   

She said in an ideal scenario, each Nova Scotian would have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, in clinics with several health care professionals, that work well as a team.