Patients provided with nurse practitioner care after doctor’s departure
The recent departure of a family physician in Pictou West has raised concerns in the community, but the Nova Scotia Health Authority is assuring patients they will be taken care of.
Duane MacInnis, director of primary health care for NSHA Northern Zone, said Monday the Pictou West clinic operates as a collaborative family practice team that provides a wide range of services to patients ranging from a family practice nurse to family physicians.
He said Dr. A. Pandian has left the Pictou West team, but her patients are currently being panelled to the two nurse practitioners at the Pictou West clinic. This means nurse practitioners become the sole provider of the patients similar to that of family physician.
As of now, if a patient calls to book an appointment with the recently departed Dr. Pandian, they will be told that a nurse practitioner will be their primary care provider. If the patient is not interested in accessing services of the collaborative team, they can be referred to 811 where their name will be put on a wait list for a family physician.
“They work as a team so if you see a nurse practitioner and they something that is outside of their scope, they will talk to the doctor. If they feel you should see a doctor, they will refer you to a family physician,” he said.
Currently members of the Pictou West collaborative team include a one part-time and one full-time physician, a family practice nurse, two nurse practitioners, social worker, pharmacist and dietitian as well as other health care workers who work together to “wrap themselves around the patients.”
Dr. Randy Burrill is not part of the collaborative practice team but he does work out of the collaborative clinic in Pictou West. The other two family physicians working as part of the collaborative team include Dr. Cheryl Smith, who is part-time, and Dr. Kevin Teeluckdharry.
The NSHA is always recruiting for family physicians, he said, including filling the vacancy left behind by Dr. Pandian’s departure.
“A nurse practitioner is not a replacement for a physician, however, they are part of the team,” he said.
The benefits of having a collaborative practice team in place, said MacInnis, is that you have the right person in the right place at the right time.
“Patients will receive more comprehensive care over the span of a lifetime,” he said.
MacInnis said Pictou West has had a nurse practitioner on staff since the late-1990s and is an example of the evolving shift in the province toward more collaborative teams. He said there are currently 50 teams across Nova Scotia, four in Pictou County.
“Teams will continue to be developed and we will see more and more of that,” he said, adding that the NSHA recently spoke with municipal leaders about benefits of collaborative teams in health care.
He said public meetings are being scheduled between January and June so people can learn more about collaborative teams even though they have been probably accessing their services in New Glasgow, Westville and Pictou for some time.
MacInnis said people know they are getting the care they need in collaborative family practice teams but he questions if they understand if a physician leaves the area, that they can see a nurse practitioner who can be their family provider.