Prince Edward Island may have fewer family doctors someday, but not before it has more nurse practitioners, advanced care nurses and home care workers, a senior health official says.

P.E.I. may have fewer family doctors someday, and some will take on different roles in the health system, says Dr. Richard Wedge. (CBC)

Dr. Richard Wedge, executive director of medical affairs for Health PEI, says the Island is playing catch-up with other provinces when it comes to the roles of doctors and other players in the health-care system.

Elsewhere, nurse practitioners and advanced care nurses are taking over some of the tasks still performed by family doctors on Prince Edward Island.

"If you look at other provinces, there are lower numbers of family doctors, but everybody gets in to see a family doctor on a timely basis as well," Wedge said in an interview with CBC News.

"They've been putting these resources into place for years. … And we haven't."

Health PEI, which administers the health-care system in the province, is now reviewing a report on physician human resources, which was prepared by the Hay Group and made public last summer.

The 70 recommendations in the report include one that would see the number of family doctors working on the Island drop from 94 to as low as 65.

But even before the Hay report, Wedge said, changes were being planned in the delivery of primary health care to Islanders. With some of these changes, people with chronic health problems might not have to see their family doctors in the future but would see nurse practitioners instead, he said.

At the same time, family doctors could take on new roles.

"They may not be doing primary care, but a number of family docs will be working as hospitalists, in emergency rooms, as geriatricians, palliative care," Wedge said. "They'll be doing work as associates for orthopedics, ophthalmology and a number of other areas."

He said committees will be set up to look at the Hay report, and at some point Health PEI will make recommendations to government.