This week brings a mix of urgent challenges and a promising leadership appointment, highlighting the critical juncture at which Canada's healthcare system stands. From a staggering rise in Ontario's family doctor shortage to calls for healthcare reform and significant investments aimed at easing the burden on healthcare professionals.
Ontario is grappling with a severe family doctor shortage, with new data revealing that 2.5 million residents are now without a family doctor, up from 1.8 million in 2020.
The Ontario College of Family Physicians is calling for urgent support to address the shortage. Dr. Archna Gupta has emphasized the increased reliance on hospital emergency departments and less frequent cancer screenings due to this shortage, predicting that the number of Ontarians without family doctors could surpass 4 million by 2026. In connection with this, 670,000 patients are forced to retain their doctors despite living over 50 kilometres away.
According to the Ministry of Long-Term Care, Toronto has lost 650 nursing home beds in the last three years. Dr. Samir Sinha discussed the impact of these closures on the Long-Term Care community.
In British Columbia, the provincial government announced that more family doctors would be trained at the new medical school at SFU, the first new medical school in western Canada in 55 years, as part of efforts to improve healthcare reliability.
Meanwhile, the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) has appointed Dr. Clifford Lo as its new acting deputy CEO. Dr. Lo previously served as the director of the Formulary Management Branch of the B.C. Ministry of Health Pharmaceutical Services Division and as the Provincial Pharmacy Lead of the British Columbia Provincial Renal Agency. As a pharmacist with a master’s degree in health administration from the University of British Columbia and an executive master’s degree in health economics, policy, and management from the London School of Economics and Political Science, Dr. Lo brings extensive expertise to this role.
In anticipation of the Council of the Federation meeting, Canada’s nurses unions are urging provincial leaders to commit to a transformative overhaul of public healthcare, emphasizing the need for universal access to care and improved health workforce conditions.
President Linda Silas of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions stresses the importance of addressing critical health issues exacerbated by inadequate access to primary and long-term care, calling for collaborative action to strengthen Canada's public healthcare system.
Dr. Joel Antel, President of the Canadian Dental Association, highlighted misconceptions about Canada's new $13 billion Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). He outlined the challenges in public understanding and dentist participation, highlighting the need for clearer communication for effective implementation and patient care.
As a commitment towards improving healthcare, Health Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research have committed over $47 million to healthcare workforce research and planning, which aims to ease the workload and responsibilities of healthcare professionals. The initiative aims to enhance data accessibility, streamline physician licensing, and explore new solutions to strengthen the healthcare workforce.
In another important development, Health Canada is set to announce a new implementation process for the CDCP to improve access to oral health care for eligible Canadians.
Stay informed with our comprehensive coverage andanalysis, delivered to you weekly through our full-spectrum monitoring. Book afree consultation today!
