Doctors use national day to draw attention to challenges
It may be marked on a different day around the world, but the message behind National Physicians’ Day remains constant.
It’s celebrated annually on May 1 — the birthdate of Dr. Emily Stowe, the first female physician to practise in Canada — and is meant to recognize all the roles that physicians play in society: healers, educators, leaders and activists for change.
“In this moment in time, given the state of health care in Ontario and the current doctor crisis, it’s even more important. We became doctors to care for people to help them stay healthy. We’re still working and we’re still trying to find the best path for patient care despite the many challenges facing health care,” said Dr. Beth Perrier, chair of the Ontario Medical Association’s District 6, which includes Peterborough, Durham Region, Kawartha Lakes and Prince Edward County.
This includes long-term-care homes, intensive-care units, vaccination clinics, and family health centres, as well as in-person or virtual visits.
“The reality is I’m human, too. I’m a parent. I’m a patient at times,” said Perrier, noting challenges for physicians such as an insufficient number of family doctors to meet demand — an issue exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic — the cost of operating a private practice and increased administrative work.
A prime example of inflationary pressures and paperwork was experienced in Omemee last fall when Dr. Satvir Sahans closed his practice.
In a letter to the Omemee Medical Centre board, Sahans explained that while family doctors are trained to provide a diverse range of care, they are “not trained to be business runners, system fixers and providers of personal hours of free administrative tasks per week.”
Sahans stated there have been months where he struggled financially, pointing to a “broken”
“
For the majority of family doctors, their practice is a small business and the current state of health care is not a sustainable small business model.
DR. SATVIR SAHANS
funding model, and he cautioned that taking on more patients would offset costs but would have the potential to negatively impact patient needs.
The province has made several announcements over the years regarding increasing openings for university medical studies and incentives for students willing to commit to working in rural areas.
In February, the province announced a $110-million investment that included $90 million to add more than 400 new primary-care providers as part of 78 new and expanded interprofessional primary-care teams.
An additional $20 million will go to existing interprofessional primary care teams to help them meet increased operational costs.
“For the majority of family doctors, their practice is a small business and the current state of health care is not a sustainable small business model … It’s hard to hear what seems like rhetoric from our provincial government. It’s hard to pull the positive out of those funding announcements,” said Perrier.
“For physicians on the ground, we need to know exactly how this helps me develop and run my practice? How does it help me support my patients? We need to challenge MPPs, engage them on a more realistic level.”
One example, she said, would be increased government support for systems and technical opportunities that could help streamline services and reduce administration.
Despite the challenges, though, Perrier notes physicians across the country remain committed to serving patients and their communities.
She encourages everyone to take a minute to write a note or personally expressing appreciation to the physicians working in their community.
“A simple thank you goes a long way,” said Perrier.
Other ways of marking the day include using #doctorsday and visiting doctorsday.ca.