Put a hold on all major health care restructuring decisions in rural and northern communities: Ontario's doctors

TORONTO - Ontario's doctors called on the provincial government to place a moratorium on major health care restructuring decisions until a recently appointed government panel reports its findings and makes recommendations. This past spring, the government announced the establishment of the Rural and Northern Health Care Panel. The panel has been asked to recommend steps the government can take to improve access to health care in rural and northern Ontario.

"We are pleased that the government has acknowledged they are concerned about major decisions being made by hospitals and LHINs in their communities, and asked a panel of experts to do a review and make recommendations," said Dr. Suzanne Strasberg, President of the Ontario Medical Association. "It's only reasonable that while they are completing this important work the government order LHINs and hospitals in rural and Northern communities to put a hold on major restructuring of health care services.

The OMA presented to the Minister's Panel this week and provided a number of recommendations for their consideration. Specifically, the OMA called for a formal consultation process to be put in place that would be followed by LHINs and hospitals to ensure that the public, physicians and other health care providers are properly consulted before any decision is made regarding services or service delivery. The OMA believes that the public, physicians and other health care providers should be key participants in making decisions that are having a significant impact on health care delivery in communities across the province.

"Physicians and the public need to be properly consulted before major health care decisions are made in their communities." said Dr. Strasberg. "Physicians can provide valuable input that will help ensure that decisions are being made without compromising quality and timely access to health care services.

A recent poll by the OMA confirms that patients want physicians involved in regional health care decision-making. For example:

- 60% of patients trust doctors most to provide input into planning, funding and integrating health care services locally;

- 92% of patients agree that doctors in their community should be consulted thoroughly before any changes are made to their health care services; and

- 70% of patients support a moratorium on major health care restructuring until the government panel reports and makes recommendations.

In addition, the OMA also asked that the Rural and Northern health care strategy formally recognize the differing health care needs in isolated and rural communities; and that wherever possible, health care services in communities of similar size should be similar.

"Patients and communities should be top-of-mind when decisions that impact services and service delivery are being made," said Dr. Strasberg. "Being on the front lines, physicians know first-hand how important readily accessible health care services can have a long-lasting positive impact on the strength, prosperity and economic well-being of a community."