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The memorandum of agreement that has been at the centre of a rift between some of the province’s doctors and Health P.E.I. has been paused.<\/p>\n
Premier Rob Lantz and Health and Wellness Minister Cory Deagle met last week<\/a> with representatives from the P.E.I. Medical Society as well as officials from the Department of Health and Wellness and Health P.E.I. to discuss doctors’ concerns about the Physician Services Agreement implementation. <\/p>\n The agreement between the medical society, the Department of Health and Wellness and Health P.E.I.\u00a0was announced in December<\/a>. It set more flexible models for how many patients family doctors can and should handle. <\/p>\n The agreement has since received pushback from family physicians on the Island, who said it will drive some doctors out of the province<\/a>.<\/p>\n A spokesperson with the premier’s office said in an email to CBC News on Monday that Lantz and Deagle had an “open and constructive” discussion with health-care representatives last week, with a “shared focus on strengthening the partnership between government and physicians and returning to the intent and principles of the agreement.”<\/p>\n As a result of that meeting, “implementation of the Memorandum of Agreement has been paused while all parties work together to address the concerns raised by physicians,” the email reads.<\/p>\n In an email statement to CBC News, Dr. Krista Cassell, president of the Medical Society of P.E.I., said the recent leadership changes and the government\u2019s willingness to engage with physicians and the society show their concerns are being heard and create an opportunity to reset how they work together.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile the discussions and these commitments are encouraging, we know restoring confidence will require sustained follow-through,\u201d Cassell said.<\/p>\n \u201cPhysicians must see that the principles of the Physician Services Agreement \u2014 collaboration, valuing all patient care, reducing administrative work, and the uniqueness of our rural health-care system \u2014 are reflected in decision-making going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n The Physician Services Agreement, the province’s contract with doctors, was signed in 2024 by all three of the parties. <\/p>\n Tensions over workload targets<\/p>\n Early in 2025, tensions began when\u00a0physicians raised concerns<\/a>\u00a0about a new operational guide contained in the PSA. The medical society\u00a0even threatened legal action<\/a>.<\/p>\n