Nova Scotia’s Physician Assessment Centre of Excellence receives innovation award
Nova Scotia’s Physician Assessment Centre of Excellence (PACE) is this year’s recipient of the Innovation in Physician Assessment and Remediation Award
Press releases
Re: Professional duties to WCB patients
Primary care physicians are contacting the College with questions regarding their professional obligations to treat patients with workplace injuries.
Amidst contract negotiations, the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia (WCB) recently withdrew the 11% premium it pays physicians to care for injured workers.
Welcoming Lebanese-trained family physicians to Nova Scotia
The Province and Lebanese American University in Beirut have signed a memorandum of agreement outlining a five-year pilot program that will see 10 ready-to-practise family physicians come to Nova Scotia, two in each year of the agreement.
Update on applications to PACE for internationally trained physicians
The Physician Assessment Centre of Excellence (PACE) is a dedicated assessment centre and medical clinic designed to evaluate internationally trained physicians (ITPs) in office-based primary care. PACE serves as a pathway to independent licensure in Nova Scotia by ensuring candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and judgment required to practice safely and ethically in Nova Scotia. … Update on applications to PACE for internationally trained physicians
Physician Assessment Centre of Excellence (PACE) website now available
Welcome to PACE, the Physician Assessment Centre of Excellence. PACE is unique, with a hybrid mission to assess internationally trained physicians for licensure in Nova Scotia while also providing high quality primary care. Access to care is the dominant issue in our province’s healthcare system. Present efforts to expand Canadian medical training will take time. … Physician Assessment Centre of Excellence (PACE) website now available
Dr. Gus Grant awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia is pleased to announce the King Charles III Coronation Medal has been awarded to its Registrar & CEO, Dr. Gus Grant.
Re: Amendments to the Personal Health Information Act
With the passing of the Financial Measures Act, the government now has authority to make regulations requiring physicians to disclose all health records to the Minister.
The Minister has authority to access this personal health information for system planning and improvement. The government sees this authority as needed to empower patients and to inform the management of the healthcare system with data. The College supports the importance of these goals.
When I appeared before the Law Amendments Committee, I advanced the position that the Minister’s access to personal health information should be restricted to only aggregate, de-identified data.
College raises concerns regarding changes to PHIA
The government is moving forward with changes to the Personal Health Information Act (PHIA). Once enacted, physicians (and all other health professionals) will be required to disclose their patient medical records to the Minister of Health. The parameters of the Minister’s access to patient records and the specifics of the data governance have not yet been defined.
In the view of the College, this new legislation will have a profound effect on medical practice and on the nature of the patient-doctor relationship which is based on trust and confidentiality.
Podiatrists regulated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons as of April 1, 2024
The provincial government has amended the regulations to the Medical Act, conferring upon the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia the responsibility and authority to regulate podiatry within the province, effective April 1, 2024.
The College applauds the advocacy and administrative work done by the Nova Scotia Podiatry Association (NSPA) to bring the profession into regulation. The College is grateful to members of the Division of Orthopedic Surgery for their collaboration in this work…
Physician assistants regulated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons as of April 1, 2024
The provincial government has amended the Medical Act Regulations conferring upon the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia the responsibility and authority to regulate physician assistants within the province, effective April 1, 2024.
The College recognizes the valuable contribution physician assistants can and are making to healthcare in Nova Scotia and welcomes them as registrants…