Ontario’s doctors warn of worsening health-care crisis if family doctor shortage is not addressed immediately

TORONTO, Ont., Jan. 29, 2024–Ontario is facing a family doctor shortage in every region of the province and the Ontario Medical Association is warning it will continue to grow unless immediate action is taken by the 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 HealthForceOntario, which posts job openings for physicians, there are more than 2,500 physicians needed in the province.

“The implications of people not being able to access primary care are severe,” said OMA President Dr. Andrew Park. “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 practices. 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 per cent 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 per cent of physicians are considering retiring 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 health care in Ontario.”

Family doctors are the bedrock of the health-care system and are the vital link to specialist care. They help patients stay healthy, prevent disease by identifying risk factors, manage chronic disease and get their patients access to diagnostics and many other health-care services. Lack of access to a family doctor can negatively impact health outcomes. 

“The result of the doctor shortage is people left with health-care 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 health care 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 to 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.

Physicians needed by city

According to HealthForceOntario, which post job openings for physicians, the following number of physicians are needed in these Ontario cities. Note that the Seeker sent a request to get numbers for Cornwall, however as of print time, these numbers weren’t available.