P.E.I. doctor questions relevance of publishing names with salaries

The president of the P.E.I. Medical Society has some concerns about government's proposed bill to publish the names and salaries of Island doctors.

Dr. Jill Cunniffe said it is important for taxpayers to know what doctors earn, but questions the relevance of putting a name to that salary.

"Is it important for the public to understand what a general surgeon is paid to make sure the value the services that general surgeon provides aligns with what that general is paid? Absolutely," she said.

"Is it important for the public to know that surgeon John Smith is paid X and surgeon Jane Doe is paid Y? I'm not sure."

• Bill would allow doctors' salaries, names to be made public

P.E.I.'s Health and Wellness Minister Robert Henderson has tabled the bill that would allow government to publish the salaries and names of Island doctors and other health-care professionals.

According to a report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, average gross clinical payments to Island doctors in 2013-14 was about $350,000 a year, among the highest in Canada.

Those numbers have to be put in context for the public to accurately gauge whether taxpayers are getting value for their money, Cunniffe said.

For example, a non-salaried physician who is paid by medicare uses that money to pay for staff, such as nurses and a secretary, as well as other expenses, she said.

Also, some doctors earn more money by working longer hours, she added.

"If we want cancer patients looked after on P.E.I. and we only have a couple of cancer doctors, and they agree to work as much as necessary to look after cancer care of Islanders, we may find that we pay them more than a cancer doctor in a larger centre where there would be many physicians covering that service."

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