Health minister claims physicians beating a path to Manitoba By: Danielle Da Silva Posted: 7:00 PM CDT Wednesday, May. 10, 2023

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This article was published 10/05/2023 (896 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Health Minister Audrey Gordon insists Manitoba is a choice destination for desperately needed doctors, despite a well-documented physician shortage and complaints that bureaucracy is driving specialists away from the province.

“On a regular basis, I have individuals that are writing and calling my office because they’re physicians who want to come to Manitoba,” Gordon told reporters Tuesday, after the Free Press published a scathing opinion piece by the acting head of neurology at Health Sciences Centre, Dr. Dan Roberts.

In the piece, Roberts described a health system riddled with obstacles that prevent physicians from advancing proposals and programs to improve health-care delivery to Manitobans, and pushes doctors to seek opportunities elsewhere.

In one case, a stalled request for financing could spell the end to a neuro-ophthalmology specialist’s career in the province before it begins, he said.

Gordon disputed the characterization of Manitoba’s health system as one that drives doctors away, saying the province has successfully recruited 73 new doctors since January as part of its $200-million health human resources action plan that was launched in November 2022.

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She pointed to the full complement of family medicine residents at the University of Manitoba as another example of the province being a desirable location for doctors.

“Manitoba is a welcoming place for physicians to work, settle and raise their families,” Gordon said. “That says a lot for individuals who want to stay here and who want to practise medicine right here in this province, that we have filled every family medicine residency seat.”

On Wednesday, the Manitoba government said 37 of the new physician hires practise in family medicine. Nine neurologists, four urologists, and three psychiatrists were also hired. Other new doctors practise in cardiac surgery, general surgery, neurosurgery, obstetrics and other clinical and specialty areas.

The province was unable to say in which regions the doctors were employed and did not provide the number of doctors who have retired or quit practising in Manitoba in 2023.

“On a regular basis, I have individuals that are writing and calling my office because they’re physicians who want to come to Manitoba.”–Health Minister Audrey Gordon

Doctors Manitoba, a professional association and advocacy group, said the doctor shortage in the province is at an all-time high and the 73 new hires does not represent a net increase in physicians.

Rather, the figure only captures new registrants added in the past six months and doesn’t include doctors who have retired, quit or moved away.

Manitoba added an average of 214 new registrants annually, from 2019 to 2022, according to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba, putting the province slightly behind average registration levels in 2023.

Last year, the college reported a net increase of 74 doctors with practise certificates.

Doctors Manitoba said more than 400 doctors are needed in Manitoba to reach the national average; meanwhile over 40 per cent of doctors plan to retire, leave Manitoba or reduce their workload.

The group said it’s concerned the number of doctors leaving Manitoba will outnumber new recruits.

“This ​’mass medical resignation’ is a major concern, especially when our province already has one of the biggest physician shortages in Canada,” Doctors Manitoba said in a recent update to its members.

No one from the organization was available for an interview on Wednesday.

In question period Wednesday, Opposition Leader Wab Kinew called on the Progressive Conservatives to acknowledge the “profound dysfunction” and “bureaucratic mess” in health care, citing physician concerns reported by the Free Press.

“The dysfunction of that is one of the chief causes of burnout at the front lines and that’s why physicians are speaking out,” Kinew said.

Premier Heather Stefanson said the government is spending a record amount to deliver health care in Manitoba and is making significant improvements to address backlogs and expand hospitals.

“The leader of the opposition talks about doctors speaking out… I’m going to talk about doctors that are stepping up to help Manitobans,” Stefanson said, listing Dr. Ed Buchel, Dr. Peter MacDonald and other members of the province’s diagnostic and surgical recovery task force.

“I want to thank them for taking the time out of their schedule to do what’s important to all Manitobans,” Stefanson said.

NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara said they are skeptical about the minister’s statement doctors are reaching out directly for jobs in Manitoba and called on the government to state how many physicians left or retired since January.

“We’ve heard just as recently as this week doctors in prominent positions who have a lot of experience in our healthcare system speaking out saying that this government is making decisions that are driving doctors away from our province,” Asagwara said. “That’s a problem… I’m going to lean on the side of believing doctors.”

The MLA said the NDP would “take extraordinary measures” to recruit doctors if it forms government in the election, scheduled for Oct. 3.

“It’s about repairing the relationship with doctors. It’s about repairing the trust that’s been broken under this (PC) government with physicians across Manitoba, and retaining the physicians we have here,” Asagwara said.

Gordon did not take questions from reporters after question period Wednesday.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca