More physicians are quitting. What is going on?

No one can genuinely understand the suffering of others unless they live through it themselves. They may sympathize or pretend to understand the suffering, but in the end, the one who suffers will suffer alone and others will go to their homes to rest and have fun. One of my patients asked me if I could accept her friend as a patient because her doctor is quitting. I was shocked when she told me the doctor’s name, as she is a friend. I called her at the end of the day hoping I could offer any help to convince her to stay. “Was what I heard true? That you are quitting?” “Yes.” “Apart from what we all are suffering from and struggling with, anything specific?” “Not at all but I can’t take it anymore.” “What exactly can’t you take?” “Increasing patients’ demands, overwork, low payments, overhead, poor communication from other doctors and the burden that adds, forms, and—you know it all—so why do you ask?” “Is there anything I can do to help you?” “Yes, you can take all my patients or find a doctor to take them.” “Did you try to find somebody?” “I have been trying for a few months. Nobody wants to do family practice anymore.” “What will you do?” “I will do like the new grads—either locums or walk-ins here and there without any commitments.” We chatted for a while and I wished her good luck finding somebody. Read: Dr. Jabir Jassam: Dear doctor: please do not forget the patient’s spouse A few weeks ago, I was chatting with a gentleman whose wife is a family doctor and he told me that his wife is quitting her practice soon. “Why is that?” I asked. “She said that she can’t do it anymore.” “What will she do then?” “She said she would do locums or walk-in.” No, his wife is not my friend who I chatted with earlier. One of my patients who is a secretary in a medical centre of four doctors told me last week that two of the doctors there quit and moved away, one to another province and the second to the U.S. ‘Can’t take it anymore’ OK. What is going on? Does anyone know? Does anyone care to know? Where will the at least 4,000 patients of these doctors go? If this is only in my small circle, then how many doctors are quitting out there? If this is not a crisis, then what is? Is there still any doubt that family medicine is heading to extinction? When will decision-makers wake up from their slumber? Do they really think that the health system can work without family doctors? It seems like family doctors are quitting now more than any time so why is that? Well, family doctors are quitting because they “can’t take it anymore.” This is real, alarming and dreadful. They are going on strike—but permanently. Nobody understands Nobody knows or imagines the stress and pressure that family doctors are experiencing. Even other specialists may not have any idea what is happening to their colleagues on the frontlines. If this the case, how do we then expect the public or decision-makers to know? A specialist called me and asked if it was possible to do a home visit this week for a mutual patient. “I am sorry, doctor, I don’t do home visits that way. I schedule it weeks before and only for people above 65 who can’t really come to the clinic,” I replied. He wasn’t happy and asked with annoyance why. “I have a full schedule every day and I can’t do home visits after 6 p.m. as I would be exhausted.” “I told the patient that I would ask you to do a home visit this week thinking you would be OK with that,” he said. “I am sorry, doctor, I am not OK with that.” “So?” he asked with a surprised and angry tone. “I am sorry I can’t. I am very busy and, as you do, I have a family too but feel free to do it yourself. She would really appreciate that.” He ended the call with a deep sigh. The next day the patient called and asked why I refused to do home visit for her? And also if I legally have the right to refuse to do the home visit? (Perhaps my colleague had inserted some ideas in her mind.) Some specialists’ offices still don’t follow the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario’s guidelines by calling the patients for their appointment details. Some colleagues refuse to fill out any form for patients even though they saw them numerous times and billed hundreds of dollars for their visits and asked them to take their forms to their family doctors. I am not whining. I am voicing what I see, hear and experience—what is going on out there. If other colleagues don’t know what we are going through, others won’t know. People don’t care and decision-makers don’t care either. They both think we will continue working—until one day the field becomes empty of family doctors and then it becomes too late for regret and the situation has become irreparable irreversibly. One thing I can say and I am sure about: the health system will not function without family doctors. I hope everyone will one day know what is going on. Dr. Jabir Jassam is a family physician in Ottawa.

Register for free access or login.