With the recruitment of several new family physicians to the province, there are now very few Islanders without a family doctor.
A review of the Provincial Patient Registry in early December indicated that 463 registrants still needed a family doctor. "As of this week, 212 of those people have been placed with a family physician, and we expect that all remaining registrants will have a doctor by early 2002," said Health and Social Services Minister Jamie Ballem. "We are very pleased to welcome two new family physicians to the province this month with the addition of Dr. Rachel Kassner, who began practice in early December, and Dr. Jason Thompson, who will join us in early January. This means that 73 of our 75 family physician positions in the province are now filled."
Dr. Rachel Kassner is a former Islander who has been practising in Toronto for several years. She began practising family medicine at the Polyclinic in December.
Dr. Jason Thompson is also a native Islander who has been practising family medicine in the London Ontario area for the past few years. He and his wife, Christine, and their young family will be residing in Charlottetown. Dr. Thompson's office will be located at the Southport Pharmacy facility in Stratford with Drs. Rob Kelley, Peter Bethune, Gary McLean and Bev Brodie.
Minister Ballem advised that the Provincial Patient Registry assists Islanders who have moved to PEI, or within the province, to obtain a family doctor. "Islanders who don't have a family physician should register with the service by calling 1 800 321 5492 toll free. Since it was established in 1998, the registry has helped over 4,000 Islanders find a family doctor. The service has also been very helpful to physicians wishing to introduce new patients into their practice in an orderly fashion," said Minister Ballem.