Canada HealthCare Blog

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030 report, healthcare workforce shortages of up to 18 million are expected by 2030. This is predicted to be highest among upper middle-income countries, driven by economic growth, population growth and population aging. 

In 2019, the World Medical Association urged governments around the world to address the predicted global shortage of health professionals by presenting concrete plans for investing in the health workforce. This initiative no doubt was de-railed by the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic which took a devastating toll on an already existing global concern. 

Here in North America, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) predicts the United States could see an estimated shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians by 2034, including shortfalls in both primary and specialty care.

This issue is prevalent in Canada as well. Key contributing factors are similar to the global scale and include an aging physician and health workforce population as well as an aging patient demographic, which in turn typically requires more reliance on primary care. 

Doctors often talk about wanting a good work/life balance, but this can be harder to achieve, especially in the early years of practicing medicine. Hobbies and extracurricular activities can help, and they can also go a long way to alleviating fatigue and overcoming physician burnout.

In the demanding world of healthcare it can be challenging for physicians to find time for a hobby. We all know what we should do but it is hard to find the time when so much is expected of us. Doctors expect a lot of themselves and others expect a lot of them as well.

But there is only so much practitioners can give, and it is important to do things for yourself. Everyone needs an outlet.

Finding healthy ways to unwind has been proven to be a great stress reliever. Interests outside of hospital or practice can teach critical skills that make us better leaders and better colleagues. Also, learning a new skill can give you the boost of confidence and encouragement you need in stressful times.  

British Columbia has struggled with an ongoing doctor shortage, with an estimated one million British Columbians without a family doctor. This is now being addressed through several initiatives, including a pay increase, meant to help support primary care physicians with costs associated with running a practice.

The British Columbia provincial government announced it is making big changes to how general practitioners are paid. The governement, along with 

Beginning on Feb. 1, 2023, full-time family physicians who opt into the new Longitudinal Family Physician Payment Model will make $385,000 per year. The Ministry of Health says this is based on a doctor working 1,680 hours, holding a roster of 1,250 patients with average complexity and completing 5,000 visits a year.  

The new model represents a 54 per cent increase in gross salary, and accounts for a system that compensates doctors for visits, hours, and volume and complexity of patients.

This is welcome news to doctors and patients throughout the province and will help address the challenges in primary care.

The beginning of this year saw the release of The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) report: Preparing our Future Family Physicians: An educational prescription for strengthening health care in changing times.

The report has since received significant attention to one of the recommendations outlined in the release - plans to extend family medicine residency training from its current two years to three years.

Recommendations outlined in the report indicate that a plan is in motion based on CFPC consultation findings that two years isn’t adequate to expand the curriculum on increasingly important topics such as seniors’ care, changing technologies, mental health and addictions, and the health impacts of racism and colonialism, and more. The current two-year curriculum does not allow for expansion on these topics.

There are concerns that lengthening training could worsen existing shortages in both family and emergency medicine, since many emergency doctors pursue a family medicine residency followed by a one-year certificate of added competency in emergency medicine. There are plans to continue discussions and further consultation, including with other provinces and faculties of medicine.

The CFPC has enlisted an education reform taskforce whose “main deliverable” will be a “re-designed three-year core family medicine training.” The taskforce will engage in this work over the next five years, meaning the first three-year family medicine program won’t launch until 2027, at the earliest.

The Canadian government has announced that beginning in January 2023, temporary foreign workers’ family members will be eligible for work permits.

Prior to this, only spouses of the principal applicant in the high-skill occupation group were eligible for a work permit. Working-age children will now be able to work through this phased approach.

According to Canada’s Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship (IRCC), this temporary measure aims to improve the emotional well-being, physical health, and financial stability of workers by keeping families together.

As a result, it is expected that the worker will better integrate into their overall work environment and community.

Expanding the eligibility for work permits to family members accompanying the principal applicant will in turn help address the labour shortages Canada is facing.

Running a family medicine clinic can be a daunting task, especially when working alone. That's why the clinic owner in this story decided to search for an associate family physician. She had placed an ad online and received a call from Mr. Phil Martin, owner of Physicians for You Recruitment, who offered his services in providing trained family phy...

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) has released the 27th edition of the annual publication on health expenditure trends which provides detailed information on health spending in Canada using the National Health Expenditure Database (NHEX). Here is a snapshot of the expenditure trends of 2023, according to CIHI: Total Health Expend...

Last year we wrote a blog about The College of Family Physicians of Canada's plans to extend family medicine residency training from two years to three years. The intention was to expand the curriculum and prepare physicians to deal with more complex patient care including elder care, mental health and addictions, new technologies, and to help them...

The much anticipated phase 2 of the new service dedicated to awarding the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC) was launched last week on January 20th, 2022.

Candidates meeting the established criteria are now able to submit and complete an LMCC service request via their physiciansapply.ca account. Once their eligibility has been reviewed and confirmed, the LMCC will be issued through their physiciansapply.ca account. The official LMCC documentation will be sent by mail or courier.

All candidates requesting the LMCC will be charged the LMCC application fee.

For in-depth information on the new LMCC service request, please refer to the MCC FAQs.

Helpful Guide – Before You Apply for LMCC

Required Medical Credentials Must be Source Verified

Both the Medical degree and an acceptable document confirming the successful completion of minimum 12 months of postgraduate clinical medical training must be successfully source verified.

The landscape of the healthcare job market is continuously evolving, influenced by technological advancements, shifting demographics, and global events such as the ongoing pandemic. Navigating this dynamic environment requires healthcare professionals to be equipped with a strategic approach that goes beyond traditional job-search methodologies. In...

Introduction Rural and remote health care practice comes with its rewards and challenges. While the benefits of telemedicine and digital health solutions are evident, we must not overlook the mental health and well-being of the healthcare professionals who provide care in rural areas. In this blog post, we'll explore the significance of recognizing...

The healthcare landscape is undergoing a rapid transformation driven by technological advancements. Emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), telehealth, and electronic health records (EHRs), are reshaping the way healthcare is delivered. To stay competitive and provide the best possible care, clinics must prepare for this digita...

The landscape of healthcare delivery has been undergoing a transformative shift in recent years, with remote work emerging as a significant solution to various challenges faced by the industry. While remote work has gained prominence across multiple sectors, it has proven to be especially vital in healthcare, particularly for clinics located in rem...

Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP) is the postgraduate medical qualification required to attain a certificate of completion of training (CCT) in General Practice in the United Kingdom. But what about Canada? Is MRCGP recognised in Canada? If you're a doctor in the UK considering a move to Canada, you may be wondering i...

If you're a doctor considering relocating to Canada, you may be wondering if your PLAB qualification will be accepted. Canada has its own medical licensure requirements, but the PLAB test is not one of them. The Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test is a certification exam administered by the General Medical Council and is requi...

Today we are taking a closer look at the journey of Dr. Hatem Naal, a qualified UK GP. After starting his training in Libya, Dr. Naal moved to the UK in 2013 with his family to complete his GP training and became a fully qualified GP who holds MRCGP certification. Dr. Naal came to Canada with his wife and three children with the help of Physicians ...

The Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI) published a report compiling the most recent data on selected health professionals, including physicians, to shed light on the impacts of the pandemic on health care professionals, supply and distribution, migration, and physician payments and utilization.  Key findings: Supply of doctorsIn 2...

With BC’s health system and emergency rooms continuing to experience significant strain, including close to one million British Columbians unattached to a family doctor, expanding the range of services available at community pharmacies will help to increase British Columbians’ access to critical medications and improve patient health outcomes. 

This announcement by Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and other healthcare initiatives have been rolling out since mid 2022 in an attempt to strategize the best way forward for British Columbians and medical services across the province.

In spring of this year, pharmacists in BC will be able to prescribe some medications independently. This will include some forms of contraception and medication for minor ailments like urinary tract infections and allergies. This means you will be able to access care faster when you need it.

Pharmacists in Ontario also got new powers on Jan. 1, 2023, allowing them to prescribe medications for 13 minor ailments including urinary tract infections, tick bites, pinkeye, cold sores and dermatitis. According to the announcement, pharmacy prescribing will also help free-up doctors’ bandwidth to provide care for more complex needs, helping to reduce wait times for these services.

A 2019 University of Waterloo study estimated that almost one third of non-urgent emergency room visits were for conditions that could potentially be managed by pharmacists if they had the scope of practice available in other parts of the country.

The Physicians for You team is on location at the May 2022 Pri-Med Conference and Trade Show happening right now in Toronto, Ontario. The International Conference Centre in Mississauga, where Prime-Med is hosted, is buzzing with excitement after a two year hiatus due to Covid-19.

Prime-Med is one of the largest medical education providers in Canada, offering this in-person event here in May, and a virtual event in June which you can still register for and earn 29+ Mainpro+ credits.

Family Physicians can access the one credit per hour Group Learning program that meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and has been certified by Queen’s University for up to 33 Mainpro+ credits.

Specialists can access an Accredited Group Learning Activity, Section 1, as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), and approved by Queen’s University Office of CPD, and claim up to 33 hours.

Pharmacists can access this this program for 33 CEUs, accredited by The Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy.

The World Health Organisation COVID-19 Solidarity Therapeutics Trial is an unprecedented international collaboration to identify life-saving treatments for COVID-19. Fifty-two countries, including Canada, are participating in this global research on coronavirus disease, with 2,000 researchers, 600 hospitals, and 14,200 randomized hospitalized patients who are all receiving the local standard of care.

This large scale, global randomized control trial is designed to provide robust results on whether a drug can save lives in those hospitalized with severe or critical COVID-19, and represents the largest global collaboration among WHO Member States. 

World Health Organization expert groups recommended mortality trials of four repurposed antiviral drugs — remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, and interferon beta-1a — in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. 

The Canadian Treatments for COVID-19 (CATCO) sub study component of the global WHO Solidarity clinical trial researched the role of Remdesivir, a repurposed antiviral medication, in the treatment of patients in hospital with COVID-19. This article in the CMAJ details the findings. 

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