The head of the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) is calling for action to address a growing physician shortage.
Alliance President & Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Williams, pointed out close to 2.5 million Ontarians are without access to primary care.
Locally, he revealed the erosion of access to comprehensively trained primary care providers impacts both primary care and hospital-based services, due to the important role primary care physicians play in supporting hospital in-patient units and emergency departments.
"The HPHA is highly motivated to support and where necessary lead local, provincial and national discussions on the steps necessary to strengthening the social and health supports that are foundational to improving the health and well-being of our population," Williams explained.
The HPHA includes the Clinton Public Hospital, St. Marys Memorial Hospital, Seaforth Community Hospital and Stratford General Hospital.
"Few issues are more topical to our population than timely access to health care. The reality in which we find ourselves with primary care is the result of decades of decisions/non-decisions by all who directly and indirectly influence the health care file in this province," Williams revealed. "Changing this reality will require hard work by all of us however, with a commitment to collective accountability we can proactively and quickly begin to move the needle towards comprehensive pan-provincial access."
Williams says the Ontario Medical Association has to chart a course forward that ensures improved access to comprehensive, teams-based primary care.
A letter from Williams asked the OMA to answer five questions.
1. Is the OMA advancing teams-based primary care, including physicians and other health care professionals as the preferred model for primary care delivery?
2. While it is recognized that standards may vary depending on practice type i.e. urban primary care vs rural primary care/emergency/hospital, is the OMA advancing minimum standards for physicians in areas including roster size and availability? This could include supporting physicians being responsible for a local population as opposed to individual practice rosters;
3. Does the OMA support geographic assignment for physicians to facilitate equitable distribution across the province, notably in rural and northern communities where shortages are presently most acutely felt?
4. Is the OMA advancing national and international licensing discussions to improve responsible access to the Ontario market for physicians?
And;
5. Is the OMA involved in discussions with Canadian medical schools in relation to better alignment of demand for, and supply of physicians?
Williams is also asking local municipalities to urge the province to recognize the physician shortage and to fund healthcare appropriately to ensure every Ontarian has access to physician care.
The HPHA directly and indirectly interacts with 23 municipal governments – four upper tier, 16 lower tier, the City of Stratford and the Separated Municipality of the Towns of Goderich and St. Marys.