More than 62,000 in northeastern Ontario could be without a family doctor by 2026 – CBC
Administrative burdens, lack of support, low compensation are leading to a doctor shortage, according to OCFP
Mar 12, 2024
The Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) says nearly 32,000 people in and around Sudbury, Manitoulin and Parry Sound don’t have a family doctor, and that’s expected to double by 2026.
“There’s an exodus of physicians from family medicine,” said Dave Courtemanche, a member of the OCFP board and executive director of the City of Lakes Family Health Team in Sudbury.
“We have a whole bunch of doctors that are retiring, or dying or leaving the practices, and we don’t have enough younger medical students that are choosing family medicine for their practice.”
According to an OCFP survey, 65 per cent of family doctors said they plan to leave or change their practices in the next five years, indicating a downward trend in physicians choosing family medicine.
This is due to system-wide issues, including an overwhelming administrative burden, lack of team supports and compensation that has not kept pace with inflation.
