Forms ‘kill’ family doctors

Everyone deserves a family doctor. Family doctors are a fundamental pillar of a high-functioning healthcare system. Research shows that simply having a family doctor means patients are less likely to die, not to mention use the ER. The trouble is, 1.8 million people in Ontario are unattached to a family doctor, and that number is expected to climb, maybe even double, in the next few years. By now, many are aware that family doctors are leaving the profession at a higher rate than even a few years ago. Family doctors, more than ever, are tired, burned out, frustrated, and questioning their career choice. Only 25% of comprehensive family physicians in Ontario are supported by a team, creating inequities for patients and doctors alike. Read: Don’t get them started: Canada’s worst forms Beyond being stretched with patient loads and lack of support of allied professionals, there are administrative tasks that seem benign—barely worth mentioning—but collectively are demoralizing. Family doctors, time and time again, state they are drowning in their administrative burden. Not only is the work often medically unnecessary but it takes away from time with patients. Many family doctors are now spending more time on documentation and completing forms than they are seeing patients. They are suffering from the myriad paper cuts from the insurance forms, school forms, tax forms, work forms,and referral forms (to name a few). Faxing referrals is inefficient and archaic. No more paper! We’ll make e-portals! Problem solved, right? More institutions have moved to e-portals, but are they easily linked to existing electronic records? Do they require a new username and password and time and training for family physicians and the staff they employ? In short, for whom do they improve efficiency and for whom is the administrative burden increased? Yes, I’m looking at you: Hospital for Sick Children and the Ontario Bariatric Network. Unfortunately, more organizations are following suit. These sort of things, while perhaps well intentioned, are family-doctor-killing-machines. Family doctors! The bedrock of our healthcare system! Every time an online referral form is created that doesn’t seamlessly link to existing electronic records, every time a sports organization requires a “medical exam: for a group of athletes, every time a piece of exercise equipment is stamped with “see your doctor first,” this culture of cover your own butt by kicking a family doctor in theirs is reinforced. The phrase “just bring this form to your doctor, no big deal” is a bigger threat to family medicine (and therefore the healthcare system) then most people realize. Family doctors are medical jack of all trades and proud and honoured to be so. But we can’t fill out another one of these medically unnecessary forms. Enough. Dr. Matthew Schurter is in comprehensive family practice that is part of a FHO and benefits from a FHT in Sunderland, Ont.

Forms ‘kill’ family doctors

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