Family doctor shortage impacting more than 64K Waterloo Region residents

The Ontario College of Family Physicians is calling for urgent action as more than 64,000 residents in Waterloo Region do not have a family doctor.

The cited data shows that most often, the most vulnerable people in our community are accounting for the largest percentage when it comes to not having a doctor.

That includes individuals living on a low-income, those who live in racialized communities, and those living with mental health issues.

“The KW4 Ontario Health Team, which includes people living in Kitchener, Waterloo, Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich has a patient population of 387,572. Within this population, 13,163 of the lowest income earners and 9,744 of those who live in racialized communities do not have a family doctor,” read a news release from the OCFP. “Additionally, more than 6,000 people suffering from mental illness and nearly 2,500 who are living with diabetes also do not have a family doctor.”

The organization noted the shortage isn’t the only problem as an abundance of administrative tasks is also taking up valuable time.

The OCFP is calling for efficiencies to help ‘lighten the load’ doctors are facing and has released the following recommendations.

• Increase the time that family doctors spend directly with patients by improving outdated digital systems that will ease the overwhelming administrative burden family doctors are experiencing.
• Hire healthcare team members who can provide family doctors with the support they need to free up more time for patients. Right now, 75 per cent of family doctors and their patients in Ontario do not have access to this kind of team support.