Navigating FHO+ and the Path Ahead

Dear SGFP Members,

As many of you can imagine, last week’s arbitration briefs generated a flurry of activity and a wave of questions—understandably so. This is a significant moment for family medicine, especially for those delivering comprehensive, longitudinal care; a key priority in primary care for the government and for patients wanting to be attached to a family doctor. It marks another step in a longer journey toward fairness and sustainability; there are still many more steps ahead for our profession. The SGFP will continue to push for appropriate remuneration.

I want to first express my sincere gratitude to the SGFP members who served on the Negotiations Expert Resource Group on Family Medicine Modernization:

• Dr. Salesh Budhoo, SGFP Tariff Lead
• Dr. Reena Dhatt
• Dr. Kamila Premji
• Dr. Adam Stewart, SGFP Governance Committee Chair

This exceptional team contributed countless hours to support the negotiations process with thoughtful, evidence-informed guidance, always grounded in the needs of members and the realities of practice. Their leadership reflects the best of what engaged advocacy can deliver, and their work will have lasting impact for patients and physicians across Ontario.

We know moments like this come with emotion, urgency, and concern. At SGFP, we welcome your questions and input and we encourage you to engage constructively. That means reaching out directly when you have questions, rather than relying on social media for speculation or commentary. Please bring your concerns to SGFP leadership, including through our Chair’s letter email:
ChairLetterSGFP@outlook.com

You can also direct formal questions to the OMA and reference information such as the FAQ and FHO+information page on the OMA website. Attend the webinars (see registration links after my sign-off) being planned to hear directly from those closest to the work. We understand the confusion surrounding the implementation of FHO+,especially with respect to timelines, billing mechanics, and practice impact.We want you to know that OMA and SGFP are actively working on supplementary education materials to support members through this transition.

You’ll also find a calculator tool (updated and improved by OMA as of July 10) at the bottom of the FHO+ information page, designed to help estimate potential impacts based on your practice details.

We ask that you hold back from speculating, avoid knee-jerk reactions, and take time to understand what’s been decided, and what’s still evolving. We’re committed to making space for discussion, and we ask that you help us keep that space civil, grounded, and focused on facts.

This dialogue is important. But it should never be personal. We are a professional community that benefits from thoughtful questions and respectful debate. Let’s keep that standard, together.

Warm Regards,
Dr. Dave Barber
Chair, SGFP

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