Continuing the Conversation: SGFP’s Priorities for Digital Health Reform

Continuing the Conversation: SGFP’s Priorities for Digital Health Reform‍

Dear SGFP members,

The OMA recently launched the We Won't Give Up campaign to spotlight health-care priorities and solutions they’re advancing with government to help build the best health-care system in the world. One of those priorities is to Accelerate Innovation in Digital Health Care, a topic we addressed in last week’s joint letter with the OCFP, outlining shared priorities for digital health reform.

There’s strong momentum and growing attention in this space, and the SGFP is helping lead the charge. This week, I’m passing the pen to our Digital Health Lead, Dr. Kevin Brophy, to share the SGFP’s blueprint for digital health reform. His message outlines the urgent need for a provincial strategy and the practical steps we’re advocating to ensure digital tools support, not hinder, your practice and patient care.

Warm regards,

Dr. Dave Barber

Chair, SGFP

Dr. Kevin Brophy, SGFP Digital Health Lead

Thanks Dave.

Ontario needs a digital health strategy, and we can't wait any longer. As the voice for Ontario's 16,000+ family doctors, the SGFP is making sure decision-makers understand what clinicians and patients are facing on the ground, and the real opportunities we have to improve care through better digital infrastructure. We're actively working on a digital health blueprint based on six position paper topics (more detail to come on these soon), building the roadmap health care needs to catch up to other sectors and other provinces - because right now, doctors can't easily share health information to manage patient care.

Our Digital Health team has identified four key priorities that align with accelerating innovation in digital health care:‍

eReferral and eConsult‍

We're ready to co-design a province-wide centralized digital intake system that links patients with care. Real-time updates, equity-focused design, and reduced administrative burden - we can build this together.‍

Patient Access to Health Records‍

Ontarians deserve direct, secure, no-cost access to their complete provincial health record, including vaccine history. Single sign-on for patients and physicians means better care decisions and makes patients true partners in preventing errors and coordinating care.‍

Virtual Care - Rural and Northern‍

Reducing barriers to virtual care in northern and rural communities will cut wait times and improve access. But these communities need the foundation first - infrastructure, connectivity, IT support, training and security.‍

AI Health Strategy‍

The SGFP is ready to partner on a provincial AI health strategy. AI is already changing the game for physician workload - just look at scribes. Let's identify and deliver user-centered AI solutions that cut administrative burden, bring back physician joy, and create the capacity we need for better patient care and primary care delivery.

The SGFP is ready to partner in planning and building a sustainable, safer, less burdensome digital health ecosystem.

Warmly,

Dr. Kevin Brophy

Digital Health Lead, SGFP