January 31, 2019 (Ottawa, Ontario) - The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) believes that improvements are needed to address the issues in our health care system and read with interest the findings of the Ontario Premier’s Council on Improving Health Care and Ending Hallway Medicine. Our hospital-based health care system must evolve to address the inequities faced by populations at risk, expand care to rural and remote communities and by aging Canadians.
The CMA welcomes the focus on virtual health care for the next stage as an important model to improve access to primary care in Ontario. As well, CMA has called for a shift in the provision of seniors care from hospitals to community-based settings, and we are encouraged that this is acknowledged in the report.
The CMA continues to encourage the Council to keep physician health and wellness at the forefront of its work, and to develop recommendations to improve system issues which contribute to added administrative burden − such as completing electronic or hard-copy forms − a known contributor to physician burnout. Creating a healthy work environment for providers is important and will only help to improve quality patient care.
Finally, the CMA remains available to engage in ways to optimize the delivery of health care with the Ontario Government, ensuring that our publicly-funded health care system provides the best care and outcomes for patients.
Dr. Gigi Osler
President, Canadian Medical Association