Physicians Recruiting Physicians initiative will strengthen the recruitment and retention process

The Medical Society of Prince Edward Island (MSPEI) has now entered into a contract with the Department of Health and Wellness to implement a physicians recruiting physicians model. 

“This is an important step forward as we work to enhance physician recruitment in Prince Edward Island. This joint physicians recruiting physicians model is unique, innovative and notably the first of its kind in Canada. By directly engaging physicians, the Department of Health and Wellness, Health PEI and the Medical Society of PEI are working together to strengthen our recruitment and retention process.”

- Health and Wellness Minister James Aylward

Stipulations of the contract are:

• MSPEI will hire a Chief Physician Recruiter to be the lead point of contact for PEI physicians and potential candidates,
• MSPEI and the Department of Health and Wellness will create and jointly chair a new physician recruitment task force,
• MSPEI will collaborate with the Recruitment and Retention Secretariat to develop a new physician recruitment marketing strategy,
• MSPEI will work with Health PEI and the Recruitment and Retention Secretariat to streamline the current recruitment practices; and create a more efficient and positive experience for physicians considering PEI as a place to practice,
• MSPEI will create a new orientation process to help welcome and transition new physicians into practice; and
• Health and Wellness will work with stakeholders, including MSPEI and Health PEI, to create a physician resource plan to better meet the Island’s future physician resource needs. 

MSPEI is now hiring a Chief Physician Recruiter who will work closely with the Recruitment and Retention Secretariat.

“This model, of cooperation and support between the province’s recruitment office and physicians has the ability to not only transform our success in recruiting physicians to the Island, but also our ability to keep them here once they choose PEI as their place of practice, said MSPEI President, Dr. David Bannon. “I truly believe we have the potential to break new ground in successful physician recruitment and, equally important, retention.”

MSPEI will work closely with Health and Wellness’s Recruitment and Retention Secretariat and Health PEI to deliver this program. 

“Physicians play an important role in the teams that provide health care to Islanders. Physicians are well suited to assist with recruitment and retention efforts and ensure opportunities here appeal to physicians considering relocating to PEI,” said Health PEI CEO Denise Lewis Fleming. “Working together with MSPEI and the Department of Health and Wellness, we are excited about our province’s potential to attract and retain much needed physicians to provide the high-quality health services Islanders want and need.”

Media contact:
Samantha Hughes
Senior Communications Officer
Health and Wellness
(902) 368-5610
shughes@gov.pe.ca
 

Samantha Holmes
Director, Strategy & Communications
Medical Society of PEI
(902) 221-4238
sam@mspei.org