President's Message
Dr. Robert (Rob) Boulay
As family physicians, our voices are very important - let's seize the day!
I recently had the privilege of representing our College when I was among a group of CFPC representatives who visited Parliament Hill. We were very well received by several Members of Parliament, Senators and Deputy Ministers.
This experience further reinforced for me something that I've known for a long time. As family physicians we are well positioned to advocate on behalf of our patients and to promote the value of our specialty to all audiences. The strength of our longitudinal relationships with our patients translates into a powerful message that WE are best able to bring to the table as health care issues are debated across many jurisdictions. The stories that are part of our daily experiences and our first hand knowledge of our health care systems bring us a degree of credibility of which others can only dream.
Far too often we feel that we are too busy to become involved. We frequently say to ourselves: "It doesn't really matter what we say anyway." I will tell you unequivocally that it DOES matter what we say. Our voices are very important as the future of health care provision is shaped in Canada. We must become involved so that we can advocate on behalf of our patients and on behalf of our communities. Family medicine must play a strong role in the provision of health care if we want to ensure that Canadians receive the access, quality care and outcomes that a high performance system can afford them.
Our leadership at all levels is vitally important so that we can attain these lofty goals. We need family medicine leadership not only in our organizations but also in our communities, regional health authorities, universities and ministries of health. Policy makers are looking for answers, and I think that we have those answers. We have solutions that will put patients at the centre of the care we provide. We have ideas to address the sustainability issues that preoccupy all levels of government.
We are currently experiencing some challenges in the history of Canadian health care, but it's also a period of great opportunity. Let's seize the day and ensure that all Canadians have access to the health care they need.
Robert Boulay MD, CCFP
CFPC President 2010-2011