Every Nova Scotian deserves access to a family doctor
Doctors Nova Scotia (DNS), in partnership with the Nova Scotia College of Family Physicians (NSCFP), has launched a new position paper, The Backbone of Primary Health Care: The role and value of family physicians in Nova Scotia.
The paper defines the unique role and value of family physicians in Nova Scotia’s primary health-care system and reaffirms the position that every Nova Scotian deserves access to a family doctor.
This is the first time a Canadian professional medical association has published a position paper on the role and value of family physicians.
“The paper is a product of an extensive environmental scan and research paper that DNS developed to inform the association’s position.
In addition to conducting comprehensive research, the approach to the work was also collaborative, said Dr. Tim Holland, president of Doctors Nova Scotia The Nova Scotia College of
Family Physicians (NSCFP) is a Chapter of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, a national voluntary organization of family physicians that represents family physicians/general practitioners in the discipline of family medicine.
The NSCFP aims to promote excellence in family medicine and the highest quality of health care for the people of Nova Scotia through leadership and support for family physicians of Nova Scotia.
The NSCFP represents more than 1,000 family physicians in Nova Scotia.
In conducting the environmental scan, DNS consulted with individuals from various disciplines such as nursing, pharmacy, family physicians and other specialists, as well as organizations such as professional associations, regulatory colleges, health-care organizations, and academia.
“This paper is important because as models of care become more collaborative and the scopes of practice of many understanding of medicine, address other behavioural and socio-economic subjects, and complete many clinical hours in which we are exposed to a wide range of clinical situations and pathology, said Holland. “This enables family physicians to effectively develop differential diagnoses based on patient presentation and establish appropriate treatment plans.”
Family physicians are skilled at integrating information from multiple sources about patients, such as testing, specialists, community resources and interpreting the data/information for – and with – patients to enable shared care planning.
Research has shown patients with access to care over the years from the same physician have fewer hospitalizations and better health outcomes, based in part on the relationship and trust patients and their family physician have established over time.
“Better health outcomes mean a better quality of life for patients as well as reduced costs to the health system by decreasing hospitalizations, re-admission rates, unnecessary diagnostic tests, professional visits and emergency department use,” said Deshwal.
Family physicians play an important role in co-ordinating patient care, advocating for patients, providing leadership at the practice, hospital/system and community levels, training and mentoring the physicians of tomorrow (as well as students of other health professions), and supporting quality improvement and research.
“Family physicians are not better than other providers; they are different from other providers. And they are essential to an effective primary health-care system,” said Holland.
Doctors Nova Scotia represents more than 3,500 members. Membership includes practising and retired physicians, medical students and residents. Incorporated in 1861, it’s the oldest medical association in Canada.