N.S. doctor waitlist hits lowest number since 2022; 145,000 still looking for care provider

The Nova Scotia registry for people seeking a primary care provider is at its lowest since 2022, but there are still tens of thousands of people waiting for a connection.

Nova Scotia Health says the Need a Family Practice Registry stands at 145,114 as of Oct. 4; it previously stood at 164,489 on Sept. 1. A total of 11,501 people were attached to physicians and primary care providers in September, which was the single highest monthly rate since the registry began.

"There's obviously still some work to do in health care in general for sure, but I think it's stabilizing," said Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston. "And I understand there's maybe 10 new doctors coming this month, family doctors. So, they'll attach patients. So, as I say, I'm cautiously optimistic that we'll continue to see people attached."

A further 7,265 people went off the registry after validation work confirmed they had a provider, 512 were removed when they left the province, 71 were taken off by request for personal reasons, and 26 were confirmed to have died.

“We are cautiously optimistic that as a result of various efforts and initiatives the healthcare system, as measured by the registry, is now stabilizing,” said interim CEO Karen Oldfield in news release. “At this time, we believe that Nova Scotians will start to see more and more attachment as we work with existing providers to increase their clinic capacity and as we add more physicians and primary care providers to the system.”

The registry, which went public in 2018, recorded 100,592 people in July 2022; that number shot to 152,001 by July 2023.

“In addition to ongoing recruiting efforts, initiatives like the International Medical Graduate Assessment Clinic will help increase attachment over the course of 2025 and beyond,” the release said. “In the meantime, there are 10 new family doctors starting in October/November 2024, who will all attach more patients.”

With files from CTV Atlantic's Stephanie Tsicos

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