Ontario College of Family Physicians release grim projections for Cambridge

There's no doubt about it, the Cambridge family doctor crisis is intensifying.

Current numbers released by the Ontario College of Family Physicians show 19,197 people in the city are without a doctor. That's 12.4 per cent of the population.

By 2026, that number is predicted to grow to 36,910 based on projections.

"What we're seeing is a result of the under funding of primary care in this province," Dr. Mekalai Kumanan, president of the OCFP and practicing Cambridge doctor, said.

"This is a really critical time in healthcare in Ontario. It’s a significant opportunity for our government, by taking action, to change the course for millions of people."

There are two main reasons for the escalating crisis, Kumanan said, and neither are new.

Extensive administrative burdens and a lack of team-based care are hindering efficiency in the city and across the province.

Kumanan estimates family doctors spend upwards of 19 hours a week on paperwork such as specialist referrals, charting and filling out forms for medical leaves. 

A team-based approach sees doctors working alongside other medical professionals like nurse practitioners and pharmacist to help streamline care for patients. Approximately 70 per cent of doctors aren't working in this type of setting, creating a backlog by limiting their capacity, Kumanan said.

By addressing these issues, it would provide significant cost savings to the health care system.

"Ultimately, what we want to be aiming for is a very high attachment of patients to physicians," she said.

"When we have a high level of attachment, there's benefits to patients and the system overall. We do a lot of preventative work, so when patients have family physicians, we see better health, fewer emergency room visits and hospital admissions."

Kumanan said she's seen some investment in team-based care and would like to see a centralized system to help deal with the administrative issues.

Donna Gravelle, recruiter for the local organization Doctors4Cambridge, estimates the city is short between 10 and 15 doctors based on the population.

She points to early retirements due to the pandemic, a lack of graduating candidates and the time consuming tasks plaguing physicians that don't directly deal with hands on patient care as contributing factors to the shortage.

"We lost seven physicians this year due to various reasons and have managed to find replacements, however, we're still short the number needed for our population and anticipated retirements," Gravelle said.

"The biggest struggle, for all communities, is the lack of available candidates currently seeking family medicine opportunities. We're actively trying to recruit more physicians to Cambridge and I suggest orphaned patients check our website as we try to keep an active listing of physicians and clinics taking new patients."

Residents are also being encouraged to register with Health Care Connect. The service was launched by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to aid people who don't have a family doctor in finding one.

Kumanan said she's feeling for everyone who is struggling to secure a doctor and emphasizes it's important to access care when needed through walk-in clinics, urgent care centres and if necessary, the emergency room.

"I know its a difficult situation," she said.

"We've been sounding the alarm on this crisis for some time."