Nova Scotia Health Authority to conduct exit interviews when doctors leave

TheNova Scotia Health Department is going to start doing exit interviews with doctors who leave their practices.

The change comes a day after a public rally of nearly1,000 peoplein Cape Breton, where those in attendance demanded a public inquiry into why so many doctors are leaving the island.

Health Minister Leo Glavine saidthe interviews are not mandatory, but the information will be useful.

"I think in terms of recruitment and planning for the future," he said.

"I think the Health Authority, Doctors Nova Scotia, perhaps theCollege [of Physicians and Surgeons,]if there are issues there, I think having that kind of information will lead to stronger outcomes."

'A challenging year'

Glavine saidthe interviews will be done by the health authority.

He saysmerging nine regional health authorities into asingle body administering the entire provincehas meant "a challenging year."

Some Cape Breton doctors have complained their efforts to communicate concerns to the authority have been ignored.

"The one health authority has already shown many strengths, but there's also those bumps in the road that we absolutely need to address," the minister said.

Promise of improvement

He saidone of those bumps is poor communication with doctors, which he says the authority's administration has promised toimprove.

Many people at the Cape Breton rally wanted local health authorities re-established.

They suggested the loss of local decision-makinghas led to the doctor shortage.

Glavine saidthere are three other health zones in the province and he has not received similar complaints.

But "if this has been achallenge for Cape Breton,if they don't feel they are having that strong voice, then certainly we will look at how the process can be improved," he said.