Team members would practice either in the same office setting or in different locations but linked electronically. With this broader array of professional resources available, FPNs would be better able to respond to the needs of patients at all times, including outside regular office hours. The CFPC will support this effort by promoting and encouraging the participation of family doctors across Canada and by clearly defining which 'core' services every FPN should be able to provide. FPNs offer maximum flexibility in meeting the diverse and changing needs of patients in each community. Integral to the formation of FPNs is new technology that will allow members of real and 'virtual' group practices to effectively communicate with one another.
Doctor shortages are now a serious concern in many communities.
And it is not only a rural problem. Today, many people living in the most populated areas are also experiencing difficulty getting access to family doctors. Canada is now producing approximately 285 fewer family physicians annually than it was in the early 1990s. This represents a loss of more than 1,900 family doctors over the past seven years. At the same time, there are growing numbers of family doctors retiring from practice, and this is expected to accelerate as the large number of physicians who entered the work force in the 1960s are now entering the final stages of their careers.