Crisis in Family Medicine
Unless governments act now, our health care system will only get worse, leaving us all waiting.
The CFPC demands urgent action now and continues to fight for family doctors and patients across Canada. Family doctors need fair pay, a reduction in administrative burden, and support for interprofessional care teams. Demand more from your elected officials now.Time is running out to fix the crisis in family medicine.
Family doctors are the backbone of our health care system. They are the only health care providers who can provide high-quality care to patients at every stage of their lives. Governments need to listen to family doctors and act now. Family doctors need fair pay, a reduction in administrative burden, and support for interprofessional care teams.
Family doctors are struggling because they are trying to provide their very best to care for their patients while propping up a health care system in crisis. As a result, family doctors are:
- Working longer hours, seeing more complex patients, and suffocating under administrative burden
- Retiring early, burning out, or leaving the profession altogether
And because of this, the rest of our health care system is straining to keep up with the overflowing demand for care.
Patients are struggling too:
- More than six million people in Canada are without a family doctor
- Patients without a family doctor face worse health outcomes
- Patients are waiting too long for access to high-quality, comprehensive care
The CFPC has the prescription for change
We have the solutions clearly outlined in the Prescription for Primary Care and Family Practice Reform Policy Proposals.Solutions include:
- Fair pay for family doctors who are experts in comprehensive, complex health care
- Supports to lessen administrative burden so family doctors can spend their time where it’s needed most – direct patient care
- Support for family doctors and their unique expertise working within teams of health care professionals
Don’t wait any longer
If you're a patient...
- Join the conversation by sharing this page to social media using the hashtag #stopwaiting
- Tell your elected officials you’re sick of waiting. Use our quick and easy tool to write a letter to your federal MP and provincial representative.
If you're a family doctor...
- Share this page to social media using the hashtag #stopwaiting
- Write a letter to your elected officials now so our governments can understand the severity of this crisis and take action. Use our quick and easy tool to send it to your federal MP and provincial representative.
If you are another medical professional…
- Share this page to social media using the hashtag #stopwaiting
- Write a letter to your elected officials to tell them you’re sick of waiting. Use our quick and easy tool to send it to your federal MP and provincial representative.
If you're an elected official...
- Make protecting our health care system your priority by providing fair pay to family doctors, a reduction in administrative burden, and support for interprofessional teams.
- Enact the solutions in the CFPC's Prescription for Primary Care and Family Practice Reform now.
Explore resources to learn more
Value of family physicians — fact sheet
Patients appreciate family physicians despite challenges — survey results
The CFPC highlights cracks in the foundation of primary care — Commonwealth Fund Survey
Open letter and position statements — advocacy
Social media toolkit
Posts
- We're all sick of waiting for our health care system to get better. Join the fight for change now. #StopWaiting
- The clock is ticking to fix our health care system before it breaks. Join the fight for change now. #StopWaiting
- Without investment in family medicine, patients will face worse health outcomes. Join the fight for change now. #StopWaiting
