In the midst of a provincial family physician shortage, new data from INSPIRE Primary Health Care suggests that more than 7,000 people in Elgin County are without a family doctor.
That number has risen over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP). Province-wide, 2.2-million people are currently without a family doctor – a steep increase from the 1.8-million reported in 2020.
For Elgin County, about 1,900 of those without a family doctor are low-income, while at least 750 struggle with mental illness, and over 360 are diagnosed with diabetes.
“We can see that in Elgin, and across Ontario, people are suffering from inequitable access to family doctors and this government has the ability to change the course of healthcare for millions of Ontarians,” said Kimberly Moran, CEO of OCFP.
Solutions proposed by OCFP include hiring additional healthcare staff to share responsibility with family physicians, and reducing administrative burden for doctors, which can take up to 19 hours a week. These ideas would allow family doctors more time to take on new patients and to provide direct care to those who need it.
“Now is the time for real change in Ontario,” said OCFP President said Dr. Mekalai Kumanan. “Supporting family doctors in practice will allow them to focus on the high-quality care they provide to their patients. This can be accomplished by expanding team-based care and minimizing the administrative tasks that family doctors currently face.”
On top of the current shortage, Dr. Kumanan says plenty of family doctors are approaching the age of retirement, so swift action is crucial to protect the health of future Ontarians.
“It’s clear that we need multiple solutions if we are going to make lasting and meaningful change,” Moran said. “The OCFP looks forward to continuing to work with the Ontario government on these important issues.”
INSPIRE Primary Health Care acknowledged that the data from this report has not been published to their website yet, however, it will be released shortly.
