The number of Ontarians without a family doctor has reached 2.5 million, according to Dr. Jobin Varughese, the new president of the Ontario College of Family Physicians and a Brampton-based family physician. This represents an increase of more than 160,000 people since the last count six months ago.
Implications of the Shortage
Dr. Varughese expressed deep concern over the growing number of people without a dedicated family doctor. “It means that people are more likely to turn towards walk-in clinics, urgent care, and emergency departments where they will see a new person every time, leading to fragmented care,” he said. He highlighted that this can result in missed preventive cancer screenings and poorer overall health outcomes.
Data and Methodology
The data, collected by Inspire Primary Health Care in September 2023, defines people as not having a family doctor if they are “uncertainly attached.” This includes those who rely on walk-in clinics, emergency departments, or do not use primary care at all. The figures are updated every six months.
Challenges Faced by Family Physicians
Dr. Varughese described firsthand experiences of the shortage, noting that his practice frequently receives calls from patients seeking care, but he often has to turn them down. “Some of my newer colleagues who recently started practice closed taking on new patients within six months because they’re full,” he said. He also noted the concern among older family doctors nearing retirement about the lack of successors to take over their practices.
Government Response and Recommendations
Deepy Sur, CEO of the physician college, acknowledged the provincial government’s investments in primary care teams and efforts to reduce administrative burdens on family doctors. However, she stressed the need for urgent implementation of these changes. Family physicians report spending up to 19 hours a week on paperwork, detracting from time spent with patients.
Hannah Jensen, spokesperson for Ontario Minister of Health Sylvia Jones, emphasized that Ontario leads the country with nearly 90% of residents having a primary-care provider. She highlighted investments in multidisciplinary care teams and initiatives to address administrative burnout. “At every step of the way our government has consulted with the Ontario College of Family Physicians, and they have endorsed our government’s action to connect more people to the primary care they need,” Jensen said.
Additional Findings
The Ontario College of Family Physicians also released a study by Upstream Lab at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, revealing that 670,000 Ontarians must travel more than 50 km to see their family doctor. Dr. Archna Gupta, a family physician and researcher with Upstream Lab, noted, “Our data shows that without a family doctor nearby, patients may need to rely on hospital emergency departments more frequently and do not get screened for cancer as often.”
The shortage of family doctors in Ontario is a growing concern, impacting millions of residents and placing additional strain on emergency services. Urgent action and effective implementation of government initiatives are needed to address this critical healthcare issue.