Random selection: Doctor culls patient roster to survive

A Prince Edward Island doctor on the verge of burnout recently shocked many of his patients by randomly selecting them to drop from his roster and advising them to register for a new physician with the province’s health department Dr. Mitchell Stewart, a family doctor in the Charlottetown area, told his patients they can continue to receive care in his clinic until mid-August. "I was shocked. I had to read it twice," Heather MacLean, who received Dr. Stewart’s letter last month, told CBC News. "Then my heart kind of went out to him too . . . obviously he is feeling very stressed and burned out." In his June 15 letter, Dr. Stewart explained that he had inherited a “very large practice” with more than 2,000 patients and a workload that has increased steadily to the point where it is not longer manageable or sustainable. Read: Calls increase for Maritime governments to address healthcare staff shortages "The people around me who care about me are increasingly commenting on the toll that my work takes,” his letter reportedly said. “it is not acceptable for me to go home at the end of a long, busy day and not be emotionally available for my family . . . if I do not make this change now and continue at the pace I am going, eventually I will burn out." Dr. Stewart also told patients in his letter that they were randomly selected and that in making his decision he had consulted with Health P.E.I. and the Canadian Medical Protective Association. MacLean expressed concern about finding another doctor. Registering for a new doctor with P.E.I.’s Department Health will mean joining the waitlist of more than 24,000 island residents. "How would anyone feel to find out that if you're not well, you don't have any options except [hospital] emerg and walk-in clinics which are complete stressed to the max," she said. "It's not a good feeling." Read: Ukrainian physicians find work in P.E.I. long-term care home Dr. Padraig Casey, president of the Medical Society of P.E.I. called the province’s doctor shortage a "terrible situation" for patients and for doctors. He has seen an increase in doctors using the society’s counselling and training services. “'Doctors are extremely stressed out and with any stressed out individual sometimes you do have to reduce your work," he said. "Sometimes we do have to downsize to survive." Physicians need to change the way they work and move towards team-based practices, Dr. Casey added. "Unless doctors change the way we practise . . . it's really just like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic," he said. Read: Plans for more med schools in Canada: Where will the residency spots come from?

Random selection: Doctor culls patient roster to survive

Register for free access or login.

Related Topics