Healthcare crisis getting worse in Northern Ontario
TORONTO—Ontario is facing a family doctor shortage in every region of the province and the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) is warning it will continue to grow unless immediate action is taken by the provincial government. Far too many Ontarians, a staggering 2.3 million people, are already without a family doctor and that number is expected to nearly double in only two years. According to HealthForce Ontario, which posts job openings for physicians, there are more than 2,500 physicians needed in the province (including 350 in Northern Ontario).
“The implications of people not being able to access primary care are severe,” said OMA president Dr. Andrew Park in a release. “The crisis we have seen unfold in Sault Ste. Marie, leaving thousands of people without a family doctor, will replicate itself across the province. We can’t just sit back and watch this situation get worse. We need to act now so people in Ontario can get care when they need it.”
Ontario’s doctors, represented by the OMA, also warn that family doctors are increasingly considering leaving their practice. Underfunding in OHIP revenue, complicated with rising inflation pressures have made family practice unsustainable. Working conditions that have nothing to do with medicine and result in family doctors spending 40 percent of their work week on completing forms and trying to navigate patients through a system that is disconnected and fragmented. An OMA survey showed that 40 percent of physicians are considering retirement in the next five years.
“We have heard from our members that the current situation for family physicians and our specialists is not sustainable,” said OMA CEO Kimberly Moran. “The OMA wants to work with government to ensure there is a future for healthcare in Ontario.”
MPP Mantha released a statement in light of the recent news that the Group Health Centre in Sault Ste. Marie will need to cut loose 10,000 patients at the end of May. “I am extremely troubled to hear the Group Health Centre has been forced to explore last resort options to cope with the ongoing healthcare crisis in Northern Ontario. This is a a worrying development for residents across Algoma who rely on the service for primary care.”
“For years, everyone from frontline workers to the Auditor General has been ringing alarm bells about the state of Northern healthcare, but the Conservative government has refused to listen. Now, we are seeing the effects of negligence and privatization play out in our communities and Northerners will be the ones to suffer worse quality of care as a result.”
MPP Mantha said the government of Ontario cannot be on the sidelines any longer. “We urgently need significant increases in funding to stabilize primary care across our region and a dedicated Northern Ontario health strategy that acknowledges the reality of providing service in our region. I will continue to fight to ensure that Algoma-Manitoulin and Northern Ontario are not left behind by this government. Any residents with concerns or questions can always contact my office for assistance at Mmantha-co@ola.org or 1-800-831-1899.”
Family doctors are the bedrock of the healthcare system and are the vital link to specialist care, says OMA. They help patients stay healthy, prevent disease by identifying risk factors, manage chronic disease and get their patients access to diagnostics and many other healthcare services. Lack of access to a family doctor can negatively impact health outcomes.
“The result of the doctor shortage is people left with healthcare concerns that need attention. Heart-breaking things can happen when patients don’t have primary care,” said Dr. Park. “Our goal is to make sure everyone in Ontario has access to a family doctor. People are paying for healthcare funding through their taxes and they deserve a doctor. Let’s make sure that happens.”
The OMA has outlined what the government can do to address the primary care crisis in its Prescription for Ontario: Doctors Solutions for Immediate Action. Recommendations include expanding access to team-based care and reducing the burden of unnecessary administration facing doctors.”
