An adequate physician supply is essential. A well educated, ageing population with high expectations together with advancing knowledge and technology will put a level of demand on the health care system that has not been seen before. This is not a new issue for us. The CMA has been following this evolving crisis for many years. But the time has come to bring this matter to the attention of the public, to the attention of those who will be ultimately affected by a potential dearth of physicians.
Many factors influence physician resources.
But the numbers do not tell the whole story. As the general population ages so to does the physician population. Today 6000 physicians are 65 years of age or over, including 2000 that are over 70. Many of these doctors would like to be able to retire soon but can't find replacements to meet their obligations to the community. The brain drain has resulted in a net loss of approximately 400 physicians per year during the past decade.