P.E.I. cancer survivor advocates for better healthcare access

A cancer survivor in Prince Edward Island, Barb Broome, is advocating for better access to healthcare after losing her family doctor. Broome had relied on her doctor for nine years to manage her calcium levels following thyroid cancer treatment. Since her doctor retired in November 2024, she has struggled to navigate the healthcare system. Broome is now listed on the P.E.I. Patient Registry and has become her own health advocate. She must regularly request her blood test results to share with an internist, who emphasizes the need for a family doctor. Broome has faced significant challenges managing her health, including four hospitalizations in just four months after losing her doctor. To address the doctor shortage in P.E.I., Broome is pushing for a Practice-Ready Assessment program. This program could help internationally trained physicians get licensed more easily. Currently, P.E.I. is the only province in Canada not using this method, while New Brunswick has introduced it successfully. Health P.E.I. is exploring ways to license foreign-trained doctors, including a designation for associate physicians to work under supervision. However, there are concerns about the slow accreditation process, which some believe is causing P.E.I. to lose qualified medical professionals. Broome and others are hoping for reforms to improve access to care for all Islanders.