Health authority says it's hard to be deleted off family doctor wait list

Nova Scotia Healthy Authority is reassuring people that if you miss theircall or hang up on therobotic voice, you'll still keep your spot on the provincial doctor wait list.

The authority has combined old wait lists from the disbanded nine health authorities into one big provincial one. People can add their names online or by calling 811 to be matched with a family doctor or nurse practitioner when one comes available in their community.

For the last week, the heath authority has sent out automated calls to people on those old lists to find out who already found a family practice. People can follow the prompts to remove themselves from the list.

The "impersonal robocalls"aren't nice especially if it's for a deceased loved one, said Chris Parsons, coordinator for patient advocacy groupNova Scotia Health Coalition.

"We're also really concerned about the fact that, if it is an automated call that requires people to press buttons, to navigate a menu that this could lead to confusion and people accidentally removing themselves from the lists," he said Tuesday.

Not 'very easy' to be removed

There's built-in protection against that, according to Kristen Lipscombe, a health authority spokeswoman. She said people who get the calls have to confirm their selection to be removed, so they'll know.

"There's a second stage so it wouldn't be very easy for somebody to remove themselves from the list for a family practice," she said.

Patients will be called three times and if no one picks up, a voicemail will be left, and "no matter what, they will be added to the list," even if they don't answer or can't be reached, she said.

"While automated calls may not always sound personable, ultimately the goal is to provide care, compassion, kindness topatients and this was just an effective and efficient way to improve that for everyone," Lipscombe said.

More doctors needed

Parson would still like to seepeople called personally or identified through walk-in clinics or long-term care facilities, where there's a personal connection, in order to reduce confusion.

"The reality is fora lot of Nova Scotiansthis is all very new to them and it can be overwhelming," Parsons said.

"This is all too important to leave to the chance that they might accidentally slip up."

He said the coalition is glad the list finally will provide "what the actual numbers might look like" for people who need family practices. But he said what the province really needs ismore doctors and nurse practitioners for those patients, and new collaborative care centres.

• Add your name: Nova Scotia family doctor wait list launches to fix shortage