Ontario Government and OMA Sign Agreement to Enhance Primary Care Access

The Ontario government has announced an agreement with the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) aimed at increasing access to primary care across the province. This agreement follows the decision made by Arbitrator Kaplan regarding the first year of a new four-year physician services agreement (PSA).

Key points from the agreement include:

• The province currently allocates $17.5 billion to connect residents with family doctors and primary care services, which is a 50% increase since 2018.
• The agreement is intended to support the establishment of more primary care teams and enhance digital health tools, including Health811.
• It aims to expand medical school enrollment and address barriers faced by internationally-trained doctors.
• Specific funding will be directed towards targeted investments to further improve access to family doctors and primary care, particularly in northern Ontario.

The government has expressed its commitment to collaborate with the OMA to implement this agreement effectively, with the goal of connecting more individuals to patient-centered care from Ontario's physicians.