As premiers meet for discussions, NLMA president says more action is needed to shore up health care

While Newfoundland and Labrador Premier AndrewFureyhopes to ignite discussion about the province'sfight for equalizationat a three-day premiers' meeting this week, the CanadianMedical Association is urging action to fix the health care system.

Dr. Steve Major, president of N.L.'s medical association,says the CMA wants to see more national funding for health care.

"This is something that governments need to take action upon," Major told CBC News this week. "They need to actually look at what we're doing now and figure out ways that we can improve."

He hopesthe premiers' meeting willresult in improvements to the current systemand a plan for the future.

"If we don't reverse this change, where medicine has been undervalued and underrewarded, we're going to continue to have an erosion in the provision of [health]services to patients," said Major.

Family physician shortage

Major says the biggest health-care problem in Newfoundland and Labrador is its shortage offamily physicians.

"We know from research that if you have good family physicians taking care of patients, that they have better outcomes," said Major.

More thansix millionCanadiansdon't havea family doctor. InN.L., Major said, the number is 175,000.

Considering the province's aging population, Major says the government needs to come upwith a human health resource plan.

"I don't really feel the government's probably put in enough time and effort trying to sort out how do we make sure we can provide care to this big population as they age," said Major.

Last year, the federal government and the province agreed on a plan to invest nearly $2 billion over 10 years to improve health care in the province, withexpanding family health services listed as a priority.

But Majorsays no plan has materialized to boost the number offamily physicians in the province.

"I feel that it's a disservice that we haven't prioritized family medicine to make sure that all families,all patients, and residents of this province can actually access a family physician," said Major.

Major blames the four-year election cycle and the tendency of governments to make short-term decisions.

"The problem is I think health-care decisions tend to have to need a bigger vision."

National licensing program

Major says the CMA has also been advocating for a national licensing process, which he says would help bring in more doctors.

Under the program, doctors would be able toapply for onenational licence and be able to work in any province.

"We'd be able to have portability for physicians and where there are needs," said Major. "People could have a licence that they could go and work in different areas and provinces."

It would also help set a national standard of care for traininginternationalphysicians, he said.

"We've in this province benefited from internationalgraduates rurally for many years," said Major.

Innovative approaches needed, says NLMA

Major hopes the government considers more innovative approachesto addressing the health-care crisis.

"All those patients who don't have a family physician and don't have access, are suffering," he said. "Whether they get late diagnosis with cancer, they get mental health crises, all sorts of health issues that cost the system, cost those patients personally and emotionally. That is unnecessary if we've come up with a better solution."

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