Addendum: In light of the terror attacks in Paris last night, apparently the organizers have decided that the rally will join with the vigil at Nathan Phillips Square. Those who still show up will meet at Queen’s Park until 1330 then walk down to the Square. Aside from the pictures, the post below remains unchanged from the original. I add this just in case readers were attending based on this post.
I talked with a doctor this week. She works hard, spends way too long with patients and supports a large family.
“I can’t do it anymore. It’s just not working out. My billings are already down 30%. I wish I could get out, find something else. Anything!“
I heard from another doc. His RRSPs won’t support a lower middle class retirement. He cannot work harder. His accountant expressed concerns. But this doc is spent. He once had fire. Now he’s exhausted, demoralized.
Of course, some doctors feel almost no financial pain from Premier Wynne’s cuts. These rare docs earn a tonne, have a low overhead and live well within their ample means. But they’re angry too. Cuts make it harder to get patients needed care. Cuts make a difficult job almost impossible.
Doctors want action. Many feel desperate. Even if they find success with the Charter Challenge, what can they do now? And next year?
Queen’s Park Rally
A large group of grassroots physicians and concerned citizens have pooled their energy. They organized a rally to start at 12 noon tomorrow, in front of the Ontario Parliament at Queen’s Park. They did this with no outside funding or help. It is not a strike, just a peaceful event to raise awareness. Doctors cannot strike.
Pay attention to the media this weekend but don’t hold your breath. Given cozy ties between the Liberal party and the CBC, we cannot expect positive coverage from them, if any at all.
Some outlets will take this rally at face value and report facts: Premier Wynne cut spending on medical services and now docs find it really hard to provide care. Clinics have closed (infographic). Docs have retired. New graduates plan to leave or have left already.
Many doctors tell me they need to take action and do something. Anything. Apparently, a huge crowd of doctors and concerned citizens will show up at Queen’s Park tomorrow. If nothing else, it will probably make them feel better. And who knows, maybe government will realize people have had enough?
The enslavement and complete control of our profession proceeds at an unrelenting and ferocious pace.
That docs are now investing in their own education and graduating in their late 20’s to mid thirties or later with six figure debts is irrelevant. The sacrifices to get there as well as the ongoing commitments are trivial.
That doctors are entrusted with bettering the health of human beings 24/7 with life changing and life saving decisions is viewed as insignificant.
That doctors are human beings with families too is unimportant.
The view of the Ontario government, and the population at large, is the physicians are property of the state and the public. That they are to be made available to the public NOW when the public WANTS them without any concern for their own personal needs at no or little cost…even though they make too much…whatever it is.
The public is either uninformed/misinformed or does not care that a small subset of the population has had all of their rights constrained or removed by legislation and regulatory bodies. They cannot perceive how this will affect access and/or their quality of care.
It is time for physicians in Ontario to take a stand. It is time to look after ourselves, our families and each other. It is time to shake off the derogatory comments and ‘scoldings’ from those who think they own us or those who think we are owned and put ourselves first. All of our efforts at looking after our patients in a crumbling health care system are unappreciated and denigrated.
I have been putting in 70-90 hour workweeks for the past five years staying open 7 days a week and until 8 PM during the week looking after 700-1200 patients per week. I have lost 5.5 years of the lives of my three children that I will NEVER EVER get back.
Thanks to the MOH and Minister Hoskins for making me realize how paltry and negligible my contributions are. I am now taking back my life starting on Monday and lopping 20-30 hours off my weekly schedule and closing my clinic at 5 PM. I will be closing all stat weekends and every other weekend going forward. One week will be taken off at Christmas and March break…something that I have never done before. 2 of my RN’s have lost their jobs and my reception staff has had their hours reduced.
But I will be happier…and a whole lot wiser. And I will be there for my family. The patients that I look after…guess they will go find some other longer line to stand in to get the care that they want and need.
Wow. What a great string of comments, Paul.
I especially liked this: “The view of the Ontario government, and the population at large, is the physicians are property of the state and the public. That they are to be made available to the public NOW when the public WANTS them without any concern for their own personal needs at no or little cost…even though they make too much…whatever it is.”
Reading your work schedule made me cringe. You either have superman energy, or you are running on fumes. I am so relieved to hear that you decided to slow down! Burnout takes years to reverse, if we ever do.
I found it interesting to see some comments on Twitter about the rally – not pretty.
We get much more frustrated waiting in line for a free service, something we see as our right, than waiting in line for a $250 seat at a hockey game or hair salon. With second and even 3rd generation physicians training and starting practice in a state funded & controlled system, doctors do not see themselves as independent professionals providing an expert service. They see themselves as cogs in a system without any sense of being able to function outside it. Too bad.
Again, thank you for taking time to read and share such a thoughtful note.
Best regards,
Shawn