In his recent article for the Ottawa Citizen, journalist Mohammed Adam raises important questions about Ontario’s approach to solving the family doctor shortage. As Ontario brings Dr. Jane Philpott on board to address this issue, Adam argues that the real, underlying problems in family medicine remain largely unaddressed. Here’s a closer look at what he identifies as the core issues.
Heavy administrative burdens
One of the biggest hurdles in family medicine today is the overwhelming amount of administrative work family doctors face. Instead of spending time with patients, family doctors are bogged down with endless paperwork, like processing sick notes or filling out forms. These tasks reduce the amount of time doctors can spend actually practicing medicine. Without a serious reduction in these burdens, doctors are left drained and dissatisfied, making family practice an increasingly unattractive career choice.
High overhead costs
Another factor contributing to the crisis is high operating costs and limited resources. Family doctors face significant overhead expenses to run their clinics—rent, staff salaries, equipment—and many feel stretched to cover these costs while still providing quality patient care. Unless these financial pressures are eased, family medicine will continue to lose doctors to burnout, compounding the shortage.
Lack of incentives
Despite recent announcements aimed at increasing medical school admissions, Adam argues that financial incentives alone won’t solve the issue; instead, family practice needs to be a sustainable and appealing choice for young doctors. To attract more students, Ontario (and other provinces) must ultimately address why so few graduates choose family medicine in the first place.