The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) has proposed a three-pronged approach to combat the most pressing challenges the healthcare system has faced since the start of the pandemic, including staffing shortages, limited bed space, and lengthy wait times.
OMA President Dr. Rose Zacharias led a meeting on Wednesday morning featuring three panelists, each of whom provided their expert opinion on the OMA’s proposed ideas.
To help alleviate physician burnout, the OMA recommends new technologies be implemented to reduce the amount of time spent doing administrative work such as completing forms, accessing medical records, and creating patient notes and charts.
Dr. Chandi Chandrasena, chief medical officer for OntarioMD, was eager to share her insight from her experience as a family doctor. Chandrasena says an integrated patient information model would allow healthcare providers to access information in a person’s medical records without having to jump through hoops. This change would save physicians time and effort that could be better spent building relationships with their patients. Chandrasena also emphasized that integration would save patients the frustration of having to tell their story over and over again each time they see a new provider.
Aside from curbing clerical duties, technology could also help healthcare providers have a better understanding of what areas need them most. Zacharias mentions a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool the OMA is developing called "Prime," which will use billing data to predict healthcare demands in a geographical region. Being able to anticipate the public's needs should help with resource and staff distribution across the province.
Chandrasena also believes that employing medical scribes, and eventually using AI virtual scribes, would make a positive difference for doctors. Scribes would be used to take notes during appointments so providers can be more fully engaged with their patients, rather than keeping busy writing things down or punching keys on the computer.
The second solution OMA is pushing for involves a "centralized wait list" for certain surgeries and procedures.
OMA Chief of Health Policy, Economics, and Research Dr. James Wright explained how seeing a specialist can be a frustrating process for many patients, as a primary doctor likely won't know how long a wait list is before making a referral. A centralized wait list would allow more transparency for patients who require specialized care, allowing them to see just how long it will take for an appointment. This solution could even help prioritize the treatment of patients with the most urgent needs, according to Zacharias.
The third solution the OMA offered was reserving hospital beds for patients who need acute care and providing suitable alternatives for those with less crucial needs. Many Ontario hospitals lack the adequate space to meet public demand. However, a significant number of hospital beds remain occupied by patients who do not necessarily need round-the-clock care - they just have nowhere else to go.
Longtime palliative care specialist Dr. Brian Berger shared that, from his experience, most patients find comfort from living at home or a home-like environment while receiving medical treatment. Investing more resources into long-term care options such as hospice, nursing homes, and home care will help relieve some pressure the healthcare system as more hospital beds will be available for people who need them most. Specifically, OMA is hoping for 500 new hospice beds to be made available across the province.
Taken together, the OMA estimates these three solutions will cost the government about $320 million for 2023-2024.
When asked what the OMA plans to do to secure this type of funding, Zacharias said "We do believe the government is listening."
"I'm an optimist and I do believe that those with the political power can make good progress towards doing right by our patients," she added. "We are committed as physicians in Ontario to continue working with all levels of government to see that through."