Ontario Doctors Welcome Plan to Introduce Health Human Resource Strategy

Doctors call for strategy to promote physician retention in Ontario and expanded wait list monitoring

March 23 2006 - Today, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) welcomed the provincial government's budget commitment to introduce a health human resource strategy. The OMA committed to participating in the development of that strategy and called for the retention of physicians in Ontario to be a priority.

"The government has taken several steps in recent years to improve the number of doctors being trained in Ontario," said Dr. Greg Flynn, President of the OMA. "These steps will be complemented by a health human resources strategy that identifies our short and long-term needs and focuses on retaining those physicians who are nearing retirement age."

Since 2002, the OMA has highlighted the need for a human resources strategy to address the ongoing physician shortage and to help prevent shortages from worsening in the future. Currently, Ontario is short 2,300 physicians, affecting 1.4 million patients. In the next two years alone, 3,800 physicians are predicted to retire in Canada, which is double the current national rate.

The OMA also acknowledged the government's progress in reducing wait times in the their priority areas, but called for expanded monitoring of other wait lists not being targeted to ensure they are not negatively impacted.

Doctors welcomed new investments in health promotion and prevention including, juvenile Type 1 diabetes, breast-cancer screening, newborn screening and pandemic planning. Flynn also applauded the government for making overdue investments to renew hospitals and other health facilities aimed at improving Ontario's health infrastructure.

"Improving our health infrastructure is vital to improving the ability of doctors and other health professionals to care for patients," said Flynn. "Ontario doctors look forward to working with government to improve patient access and quality of care."

The OMA represent 24,000 Ontario doctors.

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