Dr. Ali Damji

“Here sitting in front of me was a patient who needed an advocate. He needed a person in the health-care system to ensure that they got the care that they needed, and the piece that was missing was the family physician.”

As a resident, Dr. Ali Damji was exposed to the to the dire consequences that can occur when people do not have access to primary care. During a rotation of a subspecialty of general surgery, he met a patient with late-stage lung cancer who did not have a family doctor. Rather, he had to rely on episodic care.  

It was the moment that led to his decision to pursue family medicine.  

Dr. Damji is also a champion for his colleagues across the province as he appeals for changes that would help family physicians stay in their practice. 

One thing Dr. Damji is particularly driven to change is the forms that family doctors must complete for their patients’ employers and insurance companies. Currently, the time physicians take to fill in these forms is not covered by OHIP, and it is the patient’s responsibility to pay for this service. What often results is an uncomfortable interaction between the patient when the doctor is left to rationalize the fees. Instead, Dr. Damji is calling for regulations that would require insurance companies to bear these costs and create more streamlined and standardized forms.  

While discussing the value of family medicine, Dr. Damji notes, “The nature of our work is quiet and behind the scenes. Prevention is valuable, but not as visible as other specialties. The care we provide takes time but has a significant impact on our patients’ lives.”