Half a million people in Toronto don’t have a family doctor, college says
Posted March 5, 2024 1:00 pm.
The Ontario College of Family Physicians says more than half a million people living in Toronto don’t have a family doctor.
It forecasts that number could reach nearly one million by 2026.
The college says many family doctors are also expected to retire in the coming years and there aren’t enough doctors choosing family medicine to replace them and keep up with population growth.
College president Dr. Mekalai Kumanan says some family doctors are also leaving the profession because they have an overwhelming amount of administrative work and don’t practice medicine in a team environment with other health-care professionals to support patient care.
The college is calling on the Ontario government to retain more family doctors by upgrading outdated administrative systems, investing in more comprehensive team-based care for patients and ensuring fair compensation that keeps up with inflation.
Kumanan says the provincial government has made positive steps in funding some health-care teams and committing to reducing the administrative burden on family doctors, but more action is needed.
