Nearly one million people in Toronto could be without a family doctor in the next two years if no “urgent action” is taken, according to The Ontario College of Family Physicians.
Currently, more than 516,000 Torontonians are already without a family doctor, according to a new report by the college. And the group expects that number to reach nearly one million by 2026.
Overall in Ontario, the college estimates that 2.3 million people are without a family doctor and that number is set to grow to 4.4 million by 2026.
“Right now, too many people in our city are being left behind. When people don’t have access to a family doctor, they aren’t getting the care that they need,” Dr. Tara Kiran, family physician and researcher at St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto, said in a statement. “We need to retain the family doctors we have now and recruit doctors of the future. Without meaningful change, we will see the health of people and our communities deteriorate,” Kiran added.
Retaining family doctors is one of the key reasons contributing to the shortage, according to the college.
“Many report they are being driven from the profession due to system-wide issues including overwhelming administrative burden, lack of team supports and compensation that has not kept pace with inflation,” the college said in a news release on Tuesday.
Other factors driving the shortage include the number of doctors that are set to retire, the number of family medicine graduates entering the field and expected population growth in Ontario.
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In a survey from May 2023, 65 per cent of family doctors said they plan to leave or change their practice in the next five years, coinciding with data that shows a downward trend in doctors choosing to work in family medicine.
“Family medicine is under enormous strain right now due to system-wide issues. However, we believe it’s possible to turn this crisis around and let family doctors get back to what they most want, which is to be there for their patients,” President of the Ontario College of Family Physicians Dr. Mekalai Kumanan said in a statement.
To turn the dire matters around, the college is calling on the Ontario government to provide urgent support by:
- Cutting the administrative burden- Family doctors in Ontario are spending up to 19 hours a week on administrative work. To reduce paperwork, the college is asking the government to find more efficient ways of doing certain tasks, such as eliminating employer mandated sick notes and modernizing outdated referral systems.
- Providing team support- To improve access to primary care for residents, the college says a team of health care professionals working with a family doctor would ensure patients can receive the care they need.
- Ensuring fair compensation- Family doctors are struggling to keep up with the rising costs associated with running their clinics, according to the college.
