World Family Doctor Day
Family Doctors: The Foundation of Ontario’s Health Care System
This World Family Doctor Day, the Ontario College of Family Physicians recognizes the important role of family physicians to our patients and the healthcare system. When we say that family physicians are the foundation of the health system, it’s not just a key message– it’s true. From urgent care clinics to hospitals to long-term care and family medicine clinics and beyond, family physicians are there for Ontarians.
There are 2.3 million Ontarians without a family doctor – with 1 in 4 projected to be without one by 2026.
A message from OCFP President Dr. Mekalai Kumanan
This World Family Doctor Day, the Ontario College of Family Physicians recognizes the important role of family physicians to patients and the healthcare system. Family physicians truly are the foundation of the healthcare system.
To my more than 15,000 colleagues across Ontario, I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you for the care you provide to patients.
From urgent care clinics to hospitals to long-term care and family medicine clinics and beyond, we are there for Ontarians. The care we provide to patients at all stages of their lives is essential. I know how much our patients appreciate the work that we do.
This year, for World Family Doctor Day on May 19, the OCFP is highlighting the value of all family doctors. The impact you have on your patients’ lives cannot be overstated. In fact, new data shows that family physicians see more patients in a 24-hour period than any other healthcare service.
At the same time, I know this is a difficult point in the OMA’s Physician Services Agreement negotiations, which has moved to arbitration. The OCFP has responded with a statement calling on the Ontario government to recognize the essential role of family physicians.
Today, I would like to ensure we do not lose sight of the purpose behind World Family Doctor Day, which is to acknowledge and recognize our contributions.
Thank you again for the important work you do every day.
Mekalai
Family doctors, by far, deliver the most care of any service in Ontario’s healthcare system.
Collectively, family doctors see more patients in a 24-hour period than any other healthcare service, responsible for 139,300 patient visits each day.
- Family doctors are responsible for more patient visits each day than the next six most accessed services combined, including visits to specialists, hospital admissions and X-rays, according to new data by INSPIRE-Primary Health Care.
- The data further shows the number of visits to a family doctor has remained the same over the last 20 years, despite a 28% growth in population. There are two reasons to explain this:
- Due to system-wide challenges, there has been a steady decline in the number of doctors choosing to practice the kind of comprehensive community-based care that Ontarians need and expect when they call their family doctor.
- Research shows family doctors’ workload is changing and demanding more of their time.
Related Links
For World Family Doctor Day on May 19, the Ontario College of Family Physicians is sharing new data that reinforces the foundational role of family doctors in our healthcare system, showing that family doctors see more patients in a 24-hour period than any other healthcare service.
Since it’s inception in 2010 by The World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA), World Family Doctor Day (WFDD) has become an annual celebration that recognizes the important role and contributions of family doctors. This year’s theme “Healthy Planet, Healthy People,” emphasizes the link between the health of our planet and the health of our patients.
The OCFP is calling for meaningful changes to help family doctors today. Read more about how we are advocating for urgent action and raising the issues family doctors are facing in the media.