Doctors Vote in support of New Agreement with Province

Backgrounder

Key details of the agreement include:

• The agreement runs from April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2012.  It is valued at approximately $1 billion and includes an increase of 12.25% on fees and alternate payment plans and programs over four years.
  
  
• The increases in each year are as follows:
  
      2008/09   3%
      2009/10   2%
      2010/11   3%
      2011/12   4.25%
  
  
• The agreement also includes $240 million in new program funding and $100 million in incentive funds.

• Up to 500 licensed nurses will be hired to work with physicians in three key priority areas: Aging at Home strategy, End of Life care, and Mental Health and Addictions.

• A new Diabetes Registry will be established to help patients and physicians better manage their conditions.

• A target to find a family doctor for 500,000 patients, especially those of higher risk, who are currently without one.

• The Northern Physician Retention Initiative will continue for the duration of the Agreement.

• A new program will allow medical students to defer payments on the principal of the eligible debts during training and the Ministry will pay the full interest on the eligible debt through the end of the residency training program.

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