United on Digital Health: OCFP & SGFP Advocating for Family Medicine
Dear SGFP Members,
The Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) and the Section on General and Family Practice (SGFP) are working regularly and purposefully to push for digital health solutions that actually support how we practice. Our members are the keystone of Ontario’s healthcare system, delivering expert, comprehensive, and cost-effective care in every corner of the province.
But the digital workload is relentless. Every week, we manage thousands of prescriptions, referrals, lab orders, results, and patient messages. We need tools that work with us, not against us. Too often, we’re handed systems that are clunky, disconnected, and designed without meaningful input from those who use them daily. It’s unsustainable. And it’s fueling burnout.
It’s time to move forward with practical action and a clear vision for the future of family medicine, grounded in family physician leadership.
SGFP and OCFP are continuing to work toward shared priorities, including:
- Connected EMRs that integrate across care settings, with a portable patient record accessible to all providers involved in a patient’s care.
- A central intake system for referrals, triaged by need and transparent to patients.
- A provincial vaccine registry linked to the patient record, capturing all immunizations across all providers and settings.
Whether it’s these larger system changes or more immediate fixes like streamlining legal agreements with tech vendors or developing strategies for AI in practice, solutions must be designed with family physicians and delivered in ways that reduce burden, not add to it.
Moving Forward
We know that when we speak with a shared voice, we’re stronger. SGFP and OCFP are collaborating on position papers and policy recommendations rooted in frontline realities. We’re engaging directly with you to ensure these priorities reflect what you’re experiencing. And we’re working with Ontario MD, Ontario Health, Dr. Philpott’s Team (PCAT), and other partners to drive meaningful change.
Family physicians deserve digital tools that help us deliver excellent care, not systems that get in the way. Together, we’re advocating for a healthcare system where technology enhances care, improves quality, and supports physician wellness.
We are a powerful, engaged community. And our voice will be heard.
Warm Regards,
Dr. Dave Barber
Chair, SGFP
Other Resources
Correction:
In last week’s Chair’s Letter celebrating SGFP members recognized by the Ontario Medical Association, the spelling of Dr. Farhan Asrar’s name was incorrect. We sincerely regret the error.
Acuity Lump Sum Payments for FY2024/25
As a reminder, all FHO/FHNs that started their practice prior to April 1, 2023 received their Acuity Payment for 2024/25 as a lumpsum in May 2024. We’ve been notified by the OMA that for those FHO/FHN physicians that started after April 1, 2023 the Ministry will be paying their acuity lump-sum next month on the November 2025 RA, it will appear under the transaction ‘NETWORK BASE RATE ACUITY MODIFIER PAYMENT’. If you have any questions around this payment, please reach out to info@oma.org.
Supporting Family Doctors: CFPC Annual Meeting of Members
As part of ongoing efforts to support family physicians, members are encouraged to participate in the CFPC Annual Meeting of Members, where a proposed cost-of-living adjustment to membership fees will be discussed.
• To attend the meeting: CFPC Annual Meeting of Members
• To assign a proxy: Assign your proxy here — proxies may be directed to a colleague attending in person, who will vote as instructed. If you wish to assign your vote by proxy, please reach out by email to SGFP; SGFP has someone available that will vote as directed.
For context and background, this article outlines the broader conversation around protecting the profession: Healthy Debate – Family Doctors: Protect the Profession
Billing Webinar for FHO+ Reminder
Join Drs. Ryan Banach, Salesh Budhoo and moderator Dr. Elaine Ma, in collaboration with SGFP, on Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. for a focused webinar designed to help you navigate billing under the new FHO+ model for family medicine.
This session will cover:
• Key changes to billing codes and fee values
• What’s staying the same and what’s not
• Practical guidance on what to bill and what to avoid
Whether you're already practising in a FHO or preparing to transition, this webinar will equip you with the insights needed to optimize your billing and ensure compliance.
Register here.
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. Please send this submission to: ChairLetterSGFP@outlook.com