Zunera Hashmi, a resident of Toronto, has been enduring a frustrating three-year wait for a family doctor. Like over 2.2 million other Ontarians, Hashmi is without a regular physician, according to data from health-care researcher Inspire Primary Health Care. This number has increased from 1.8 million just two years ago, indicating a dire shortage of doctors in the province. Toronto, Canada's most populous city and its economic hub, is experiencing particularly severe shortages, with the Ontario College of Family Physicians predicting that one in five residents may be without a family doctor within the next three years.
This shortage of family doctors highlights a healthcare crisis in Ontario, as Canada prides itself on its universal healthcare system designed to provide care to all residents, regardless of their financial means. However, without access to primary care physicians, immigrants and low-income individuals are particularly affected. Primary care physicians serve as the "front door" of healthcare, evaluating patients and determining if they need specialized tests or consultations. The absence of preventive care can result in missed vaccinations and undetected medical conditions, leading to higher healthcare costs and putting additional strain on emergency rooms.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made healthcare professionals worldwide reconsider their work, and family medicine has been particularly challenging due to the lack of respect given to general practitioners compared to specialists. A survey conducted by Unity Health Toronto revealed that one in five Toronto family physicians are considering closing their practice within the next five years.
While the Ontario Ministry of Health has registered over 60,000 new nurses and 8,000 new doctors since 2018, they acknowledge that more needs to be done to address the shortage. The ministry has announced plans to create over 150 new medical school spots in the next five years, as well as initiatives to make it easier for internationally educated healthcare workers, including doctors, to practice in Ontario.
To address the immediate challenges, experts and doctor groups are calling for solutions such as reducing paperwork for physicians, implementing a centralized referral system, and streamlining electronic medical records. Family doctors spend valuable time on administrative tasks that could be performed by other professionals, such as nurses and dietitians. Additionally, financial aid is being sought to expand healthcare teams, as fewer than a quarter of family physicians currently work with a team.
The shortage of family doctors in Toronto is indicative of a larger issue within Canada's universal healthcare system. Healthcare workers are facing burnout, hospitals are experiencing temporary closures due to staff scarcities, and emergency rooms are inundated with patients who have nowhere else to seek care. Urgent reforms are needed, and the Canadian Medical Association has released a set of recommendations to address the crisis, including increasing the number of physicians and ensuring that a higher percentage of Canadians have a family doctor.
If the situation worsens, Canada may face an exodus of physicians to other countries, such as the United States. In Ontario, the efforts to add more medical school spots are seen by some doctors as inadequate, with communities across Canada competing to attract doctors with attractive housing and sign-on incentives.
While the COVID-19 pandemic may have subsided, healthcare workers are still struggling due to a lack of resources and excessive workloads, including unnecessary administrative tasks. The need for a regular family doctor remains a pressing concern for individuals like Zunera Hashmi, who has been waiting 1,000 days for proper medical care.