The real meaning of patient accountability

Re: Expect cuts to top-end care, marginal increase in family medicine under new docs’ deal, July 20.

Thank you to David Reevely for interviewing Dr. Virginia Walley, the OMA’s president, and reporting so reasonably on the tentative Physician services agreement. I do want to take issue with Reevely’s characterization of “patient accountability” as “code for giving people reasons to go to the doctor less.”

To me and my colleagues, patient accountability means that my patients will be asked to take some responsibility for their health care and its cost. It means they will ensure that their health card is up to date, that they will go to their own doctor’s afterhours clinic and not a walk-in clinic, that they will honour their specialist appointments.

My physician colleagues and I believe that patients should realize the role of unnecessary tests and procedures in driving costs in the system, and work with their doctors to limit these.

Most of my patients understand this. Since the 16-year-olds who are my patients understand these concerns, I believe everyone will.

Including patients as accountable partners in health care is very important for the sustainability of the health system.

Gail Beck, MD, CM, FRCPC, Ottawa, OMA board chair