Doctors Nova Scotia’s new president officially took over her new role this weekend, which she will serve for one year.
Dr. Johnson has practiced family medicine in Bridgewater for the past 20 years. She works in a collaborative practice with three other physicians and a nurse practitioner. Outside of the clinic she provides inpatient care at South Shore Regional Hospital and makes house calls to homebound patients.
Dr. Johnson’s first involvement with Doctors Nova Scotia was as member of the Board of Directors. Over the ensuing years, she stepped into other leadership roles within the organization. “Each role has given me the knowledge and skills to advocate for physicians and for patients as we continue to move through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond,” said Dr. Johnson.
Dr. Johnson was also an integral member of the Master Agreement Negotiations Team in 2018–19. “We negotiated a contract that improved compensation in key, hard-to recruit specialties and made some improvements to the work environment, all in an effort to help Nova Scotia compete with other provinces for doctors.”
“Over the years I’ve been getting involved more with Doctors Nova Scotia and their work across the province and then recently I thought it would be a good time to get more involved with their operations,” said Dr. Johnson.
Dr. Johnson was elected last year as is standard protocol for Doctors Nova Scotia. Each year they elect a president-elect who will take over as President the following year. Next year Dr. Leisha Hawker who practices medicine in Halifax will take over the role next June.
During her year-long term, Dr. Johnson says there are two main issues she hopes to tackle; those being improving telehealth, and dealing with issues of diversity and inclusivity amongst doctors.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Johnson says the importance of telehealth has been demonstrated and she hopes the province can expand on what they offer.
“The next step is asynchronistic care, where you can message me as a patient and I can respond when I see it and those records will all be kept as part of your patient files so they can be utilized by other doctors who may end up treating you,” Dr. Johnson said.
The second issue of diversity and inclusion is one that Johnson says she hears regularly from doctors around the province. “The second issue is very complex and we will need to work with our partners to educate and facilitate the changes needed to make sure doctors and the spaces they work are safe and inclusive.”
Dr. Johnson assumed the role of Zone Medical Site Lead for South Shore Regional Hospital in March 2020, just as the province began responding to COVID-19. She will continue to lead her colleagues in her community during her tenure as DNS President; however, some of her duties will be deferred to other leadership, should issues or conflicts related to physicians arise.
Dr. Johnson also practices family medicine with a small clinic based on the South Shore and she has made accommodations for her patients there over the next year. She says she will still be in the office on occasion, covering for the three other Doctors when needed and she has also hired a locum who will cover her patient load.
