"Recruitment and retention of doctors in Ontario is “not a major concern,” the Ministry of Health suggests in arguments it is making in arbitration with the Ontario Medical Association over physician compensation.
The argument from the province comes as the OMA, which represents Ontario’s doctors, has repeatedly warned that more than two million residents don’t have a family doctor"
So the number of doctors relative to population grew by 1.7% but average patient encounters dropped 3.7%? That doesn’t exactly add up.
Maybe there’s been a drop in the amount of care needed, but I kinda doubt it. One possible explanation is that people are so disillusioned with our healthcare system that they’re seeking other forms of treatment, either out of province or through alternative (pseudoscience) medicine or just not going at all.
I pretty much stopped going to my family doctor for trivial things because it’s always a half-to-full day affair. I’m going to local walk-in clinics instead.
I’m pretty sure your walk-in visits are billed to provincial healthcare and get added to the total number of visits.
You’re probably right.