79% of Ontario’s Doctors Vote in support of New Agreement with Province

Patients will be the beneficiaries of improved care and refocus on collaborative care models.

TORONTO, October 18, 2008 - The elected governing Council of the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) voted today to ratify a new contract with the provincial government. The vote took place this morning after a referendum with Ontario’s doctors across Ontario who voted 79% in support of the agreement.

“I’m pleased that doctors have strongly endorsed this new contract.” said Dr. Ken Arnold, President of the OMA. “Over the last 4 years doctors have been working harder to reduce wait times and improve access to care. This new agreement will build on that progress and help to further improve care for patients.”

The new contract runs from April 1, 2008 until March 31, 2012. After the OMA’s Board of Directors unanimously endorsed the agreement in early September, information sessions were held across the province to prepare physicians for a week long online and telephone referendum. The vote resulted in 79% of those who voted voicing support for the agreement, leading to its ratification by the OMA’s governing council this morning in Toronto.

Key components of the agreement include:

• Fee increases of 12.25% over four years
  
  
• $340 million in new program funding and incentives
  
  
• A refocus on collaborative care by providing funds to hire 500 licensed nurses to work with physicians in their offices.
  
  
• Initiatives to work to find a family doctor for 500,000 additional patients
  
  
• Deferral of payments on the principal of eligible debts for medical students

Dr. Arnold spoke to recent improvements to access to health care in Ontario. In particular he referenced the 630,000 patients who have found a family doctor since 2003, who didn’t previously have one. He also acknowledged that there remains work to be done. In particular, he spoke to his commitment to work with government to expedite efforts to bring e-health to all physician offices to improve efficiencies and best practices.

"Ontario’s physicians have recognized that this new contract presents an excellent opportunity to strengthen health care in Ontario,” said Dr. Arnold. “Our goal is to provide quality care for all of our patients.”

Backgrounder on New Agreement
 

For further information: OMA Media Relations at (416) 340-2862 or toll-free at 1-800-268-7215 ext. 2862