One Voice for Family Medicine: Alignment, Arbitration, and Advocacy Insights
Dear SGFP Members,
I hope this message finds you well. Today, I want to emphasize the crucial importance of unity among family doctors and to reflect on the significant progress we've made since Bill Kreutzweiser assumed the role of Executive Director for the SGFP.
One of the pivotal elements Bill brought to our attention was the necessity for family doctors to present a unified voice. This unified voice is essential in ensuring that all key stakeholders know where to turn for accurate information and guidance. It is imperative that the government seeks the advice of the SGFP before consulting with the Ontario Medical Association (OMA). Additionally, the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) and the SGFP must have aligned messages on key points, especially when addressing the public regarding the ongoing crisis in family medicine.
When family doctors speak as one, we provide consistent, appropriate, and respected information to all stakeholders, including the government, the public, and specialist physicians. Our unified voice helps the media accurately represent the challenges we face, ensuring that our issues are understood by various audiences.
We are acutely aware of the stories of frustration shared by many of you. Stories of being unable to serve all patients, the overwhelming administrative burdens, and the financial strain from overhead costs that sometimes lead family doctors to leave the profession. These narratives are not isolated incidents but a shared reality for many of us. It is essential that these stories are heard, not only to remind you that you are not alone but to strengthen our collective voice.
The SGFP is committed to raising your voices and ensuring that the government and other decision-makers are fully aware of our united stance on the need for greater compensation and clearer expectations of our roles. By standing together, we can advocate more effectively for the changes necessary to support and sustain our profession.
Warm regards,
Dr. David Barber
Chair, Section on General and Family Practice
Tariff Talk for Family Doctors with Dr. Salesh Budhoo
Arbitration Update: On June 5, 2024, the OMA & MOH presented their counter arguments/rebuttal to each other’s original arbitration briefings to the arbitrator, Mr. Kaplan. Mr. Kaplan and the arbitration board will now review all documents submitted by OMA & MOH. We hope to have a decision from the arbitration board in Late Summer/Early Fall 2024 and we will provide updates when available.
Resource Sharing
If you have information about a news item, policy, survey or event you wish to share with SGFP members, please review the criteria and provide the following required information for us to include in this section of the newsletter. We will accept a maximum of 2 submissions per newsletter and require three weeks’ notice for consideration.
Headline: Short, descriptive and to the point
Description: (100 words or less)
Link: Please provide a link to either a contact email address, webpage or PDF for people to learn more/register/etc.
Selection Criteria:
1. Does this impact the majority of family doctors in Ontario?
2. Is it timely? (i.e. a recent update or something immediately upcoming, or a deadline to complete a survey or provide feedback)
3. Is this information not already covered in the Chair’s Letter or Tariff Talk?
Please send this submission to: ChairLetterSGFP@outlook.com