What might a 'National Registry of Physicians' mean for national licensure?

On March 15, 2023, the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) announced it had received grant approval from the federal government to create Canada’s first National Registry of Physicians. The registry will aim to reduce impediments to physician mobility, thereby enhancing patient access to physicians, according to a release from the council. The MCC’s announcement comes as many in the Canadian physician and broader medical community are advocating for a national physician licensing system. The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) has been a major proponent. In summer 2022, the association conducted a survey of 5,000 working and retired physicians and medical learners, of whom 95% responded in favour of a pan-Canadian licensing program. A few months later, the CMA released a statement promoting the benefits of pan-Canadian licensure in times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. The topic is also garnering national media attention, with outlets regularly covering the topic in recent months, including the Globe & Mail, National Post, CTV News, and CBC. Indeed, Atlantic Canada has decided to do away with siloed licensing requirements across the region. Beginning May 1, the Atlantic Physician Register will recognize the licenses of physicians living and working in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, P.E.I. and Newfoundland & Labrador as belonging to the same jurisdiction. Ontario's Premier Doug Ford recently announced plans to make it easier for out-of-province physicians to practice there. While the MCC’s announcement of a National Registry of Physicians certainly doesn't amount to formal national licensure, provincial physician organizations are viewing it as a welcome and significant step in the right direction. MCC executive director and chief executive officer, Dr. Maureen Topps, told the Medical Post the National Registry of Physicians would facilitate “portable licensure.” Being the country’s first standardized, single-source data repository of physicians and their qualifications, the registry would enable more physicians to “put their hands up” for rapid deployment, locum service, virtual care and more. In a statement to the Medical Post, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) said a National Physician Registry could facilitate national licensure, which it supports. A National Registry “would improve workforce mobility, potentially reduce the administrative burden of licensure for physicians, and facilitate the collection of data that could be used for workforce planning purposes,” it said. Doctors Nova Scotia added it “believes that a national registry of physicians could provide enhanced data to allow for a more comprehensive picture of Canada's physician workforce. We're interested in how this data could support health human resource planning at a national and provincial level.” Dr. Joshua Greggain, president of Doctors of BC President, cited resourcing challenges during recent crises like COVID-19, wildfires and flooding. He said removing licensing and credentialing barriers would both help with the rapid deployment of physicians and increase pools of physicians to be called upon as needs arise, in an interview with the Medical Post. “The more barriers we remove, the better the care.” Dr. Greggain pointed out that greater physician mobility will also serve to stimulate greater cross-pollination of knowledge, innovation and best-practices, thereby enhancing the overall Canadian physician capacity-building picture. Regarding concerns that bolstering physician mobility could lead to some regions gaining a glut of doctors and leave others with a shortage, Drs. Topps and Greggain both said increased mobility works in all directions—allowing for a far larger pool of physicians ready and willing to fill gaps, wherever they may be. Whether or not the National Registry of Physicians will act as a precursor to national licensure remains to be seen. But, Dr. Topps said, it will provide a solid foundation to address the access-to-care challenges Canada faces today. The target launch for the registry is April 2024.

What might a 'National Registry of Physicians' mean for national licensure?

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