Ontario Medical Association rolls out Stop the Crisis Campaign

The Ontario Medical Association, which represents the province's 43,000 physicians, medical students and retired physicians, launched their Stop the Crisis initiative Wednesday.

The Ontario Medical Association, which represents the province's 43,000 physicians, medical students and retired physicians, launched their Stop the Crisis initiative Wednesday.

The campaign outlines a strategy to deal with what the OMA said is a crisis facing Ontario's health-care system.

"Individually, any of these issues would be considered a crisis," said OMA president Dr. Dominik Nowak.

"Together, we know they represent a catastrophe facing Ontario and our health care system … Ontarians deserve better and this plan outlines immediate steps the government must take to stop the crisis."

The OMA outlined six priority areas, including: ensuring everyone has a family doctor; saving rural and northern health care; keeping emergency departments open; improving access and funding for surgeries, specialists and diagnostic tests; a human health resources strategy; and, enhancing digital health care and innovation.

Solutions include physician-led team-based care, streamlining time-consuming administrative tasks and creating a northern physician workforce strategy.