Palliative Care Physician - Pictou County

Company Description

Nova Scotia Health is the largest provider of health services in Nova Scotia, with some specialized services also offered to clients throughout Atlantic Canada. We’re on a mission to achieve excellence in health, healing, and learning through working together, which is reflected in the hospitals, health centers, and community-based programs we operate across the province.

Our passionate team of professionals provides a variety of high-quality inpatient and outpatient services including academic, tertiary, and quaternary care, as well as continuing care, primary health care, public health, and mental health and addictions. Join a diverse team of innovators, collaborators, and creative thinkers today.

Job Description

Join our passionate, well established Palliative Care Team in Beautiful Pictou County, Nova Scotia.

Pictou County Regional Palliative Care Service is seeking applications for a permanent 1.0 FTE certified Palliative Care Physician to compliment the palliative care team to provide coverage in Pictou County. 

A supportive interdisciplinary palliative care team is in place and consists of palliative care nurses, social workers, administrative assistant, and program manager. The successful candidate will be joining another certified Palliative Care Physician who currently works a 0.8 FTE. In addition to playing an important clinical role, collaboration and consultation to family physicians and other medical specialists using a shared-care model is key.

There is a collegial Provincial Group of Palliative Medicine Physicians in Nova Scotia who are all very supportive and has good working relationships with Oncology, Hospitalists, Primary Care and others. Payment is through an Alternative Payment Plan with good benefits through Doctors Nova Scotia.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include but are not limited to

• working as part of the integrated specialty Palliative Care Service 
• assists in the development and delivery of interprofessional initiatives in Palliative Care across all facilities
• provide care in all care settings in the area including hospital, home, LTC, assisted living residences and Hospice
• follow patients after initial consult with appropriate visits, phone support and collaboration with the patient’s other health care providers, in a manner that is most supportive of each family physician and patient
• prescribe and administer medications and treatments, CADD pumps usage
• mentor medical students and family medicine residents from Dalhousie University

Expected Hours

• 1.0 FTE - 52 weeks minus 6 weeks' vacation/CPD paid time
• Monday to Friday, 7.5 hours per day

Remuneration

As per the Physician Agreement with the province of Nova Scotia; Alternative Payment Model (salaried with shadow billing).

Incentives 

Nova Scotia Health offers a variety of incentives designed to relieve some of the pressure, cost, and difficulty that comes with relocation. 

Benefits 

Successful candidates may be eligible for our benefits package including health and dental, EMR grants, funded locum coverage, CME funding, parental leave, physician advisors and more!

Visit for more information.

Aberdeen Hospital

Aberdeen Hospital 

Aberdeen Hospital (AH), originally founded in 1895 and located in the historic town of New Glasgow, is the regional acute care facility serving residents of Pictou County. 

Completed in 2017, the emergency department at AH underwent an extensive redevelopment to improve the layout and workflow of the existing space. All rooms are equipped with critical care equipment, and the 25,000 square-foot space features two isolation rooms and specialty rooms including triage rooms and two trauma bays with direct access to the helipad. The Level 2 emergency department provides 24/7 access to emergency services. 

AH offers a wide range of primary and secondary services through inpatient, outpatient, and community-based services and programs. 

Palliative Care Unit

We have a 6-bed Palliative Care Unit to help serve out more complex cases. This unit was opened in 2006.

Qualifications

• College of Family Physicians of Canada certified (or equivalent) candidates must have a certificate of added competence (or equivalent) in Palliative Care.
• Fellow of Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada certified candidates must have either a certificate of added competence (or equivalent) in Palliative Care or Royal College certification (or equivalent) in Palliative Medicine. 
• Experience in therapeutic paracentesis would be considered an asset.
• Preference will be given based on full time experience in palliative medicine. Candidates must be eligible for specialty licensure in Nova Scotia and must be able to independently commute to a variety of care settings served by this service; care is provided in all care settings in the area including hospital, home, long-term care, and assisted living residences. The physician works closely with the palliative care team. 
• All applicants must be eligible for licensure with the  College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia (CPSNS)
• All applicants must be eligible for certification with the  College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)
• Membership with the  Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA)

Additional Information

Community Details

Welcome to beautiful Pictou County, NS

New Glasgow 

New Glasgow has forged itself into the metropolitan hub of the Northumberland Shore. The town’s location on the East River made it an ideal launch point for ships that were once built here, a booming industry in days gone by. Today, the East River is a scenic backdrop for numerous multi-use trails that run alongside it. 

The town’s downtown area is characterized by well-preserved Victorian architecture, housing a mix of boutiques, cafes, and local shops. The town is surrounded by natural beauty offering outdoor activities like kayaking and scenic walks along the waterfront trails. 

Practicing in Nova Scotia

Physicians in Nova Scotia provide fulfilling patient care which embraces family life, professional development and community involvement. That's what makes practicing medicine in Nova Scotia unique. Physicians are increasingly attracted to practices that offer team-based care to their patients and allow them to consult with their peers. The size and scale of Nova Scotia allows for better connections across the health care system. Your practice of medicine and your life is richer here. Nova Scotia is more than medicine. 

Building a Diverse Workforce

The Physician Recruitment Team at Nova Scotia Health lives and works in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. We are dedicated to equity, diversity, inclusion, and truth and reconciliation, and we are working to support medical communities that are reflective of and responsive to the diverse populations they serve in Nova Scotia. We welcome physicians from diverse backgrounds and experiences to join us in building healthier, more equitable communities across the province.