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Dear Dr. Manitoba
I’m pleased to share an update on behalf of your Doctors Manitoba Board of Directors on issues that may be important to you as a member.
Currently, our Northern Medical District Representative is vacant, and there is an election underway to choose the new representative. Please check your email for voting instructions, or reply to this email for assistance. Because of this vacancy, I am sharing this update with you as Doctors Manitoba President to ensure you have the latest information.
It’s been a busy spring, and our Board and staff continue to work to ensure all physicians and medical learners have the resources and support you need to thrive in medicine, and provide the best possible care to Manitobans.
Before we dive in, I want to acknowledge all of our colleagues who have been impacted by the wildfires this year, including those living in affected communities and those across Manitoba who stepped up to help provide care to evacuees. Thank you for all you do.
Summer ER Crunch
This week, we shared a public awareness update to help Manitobans navigate access to emergency care in rural and Northern communities. This has become a perennial campaign for us, as we continue to see widespread disruptions to ER care in many communities. Physicians continue to be concerned about patients seeking care and finding a closed sign.
This year, we find a similar story to last year, with 20 (or about a quarter) of ERs open reliably 24/7, another 24 operating with reduced hours or periodic closures, and another 28 hospitals where ERs are closed completely. You can learn more in this news story. We encourage you to share RuralCare.ca in your communities for tips on how to plan ahead and links to access local ER schedules.
We’re also watching physician coverage very closely in regional rural ERs, and in some Winnipeg hospitals too. We know coverage is challenging, and we have received important feedback from these physicians we are bringing forward to system leaders as part of our continued advocacy.
Tackling Your Top Concerns
In our annual physician survey this year, we found Manitoba’s physician shortage remains the top concern for the medical community. This isn’t a surprise as Manitoba has the second lowest number of physicians per capita in Canada, and that means the doctors we do have are stretched in trying to meet the medical needs of our population.
Your feedback guides our advocacy, and we are happy to report that after sustained pressure and advice we are seeing early results:
- An improved path to licensure for international medical graduates, and increased interest from American doctors due to our U.S. recruitment campaign and advocacy.
- New and competitive physician funding models in the Physician Services Agreement such as Family Medicine Plus, specialty remuneration changes, and more.
- Concrete steps toward reducing administrative burdens.
- Major expansions to medical school and residency spaces to train more physicians here in Manitoba.
- Our New to Practice program, helping to connect and support all physicians in their first five years of practice in Manitoba.
We’ve also seen an expansion to the Medical Licensure Program for International Medical Graduates, and participants in this program will now be members of Doctors Manitoba, just like resident physicians, to help offer earlier career support, mentorship and ultimately better retention in our province.
This spring, Manitoba hit a new milestone, surpassing 3,500 practicing physicians. We celebrated the expertise and diversity of the medical community – watch this video!
Membership Fees Frozen
The Board has approved a freeze on your membership fees for 2025/26. Watch for your membership renewal notice later this summer, and remember that full members who have met their annual continuing professional development requirements are eligible for our $1,000 CPD Credit Rebate as part of the renewal process!
CPD Rebates Deadline
Speaking of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) rebates, a reminder to fully licensed members that you have until June 30 to claim any eligible 2024 expenses as part of our new Claim-As-You-Learn CPD Rebate.
Log in view your balance and claim your 2024 expenses by June 30.
Remember, you don’t need to wait to claim 2025 expenses. You can use the same link above to claim current expenses.
Helping Physicians Be Physicians
Last year, we updated our strategic plan to include a new priority—helping physicians be physicians. This means freeing you up from the tasks that weigh you down and taking you away from what you love to do. As part of this work, we are taking a multi-pronged approach to reducing administrative burdens so that you can spend more dedicated time with your patients.
We are working on three key initiatives to reduce administrative burden:
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AI Scribes – AI Scribes use artificial intelligence and natural language processing to help doctors with transcribing and summarizing patient interactions in real-time. We have new resources available to make it easier to integrate this technology into your practice and guidance on how to use it responsibly. We will keep you updated on changes in this dynamic area.
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Sick Notes – Our public advocacy campaign, Sick of Sick Notes, is generating awareness among Manitoba’s employers, government, and the public at large, about the tens of thousands of unnecessary hours you spend each year writing sick notes. We continue to press for legislation that eliminates sick notes for short-term absences and encourage you to share this video in your community.
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Referral Burden – We hear from consulting and referring physicians that the current approach for referrals and requisitions wastes about a week of your time every single year. From relying on unreliable fax machines and dealing with misdirected referrals, to frustration with duplication and gaps in information at every turn, the current patchwork antiquated approach isn’t working well for anyone. We will be holding a summit on referrals, requisition and collaborative care this fall. Watch your Vitals newsletter for updates!
The Year Ahead
Earlier this week, you should have received a President’s Letter about priorities for the year ahead, including a key focus on early preparations to negotiate the next Physician Services Agreement (PSA). While the current agreement doesn’t expire for nearly two more years, the PSA is massive, encompassing thousands of fee tariffs and dozens of alternate funded agreements. Plus, it takes extensive work to connect with physicians working in a variety of practice types to ensure we understand your ideas and priorities, and to negotiate on your behalf.
This year will also see priority placed on the referral and requisition process, with a major summit happening this fall to address the issues and recommend solutions. You can read the full letter here.
Anti-Indigenous Racism
Just a few days ago, the CPSM introduced a new standard requiring each Manitoba physician to have completed anti-Indigenous racism training within the previous five years by November 2027. The CPSM states that having a minimum understanding of Indigenous history, culture, and the impacts of racism and discrimination are crucial to providing safe, trauma-informed, and equitable care. The mandate comes as a new provincial report details how racism affects patient access and care in Manitoba’s emergency rooms, as well as the impact it has on Indigenous physicians.
Doctors Manitoba is making it easier for you to complete this required training by ensuring all approved options are eligible for reimbursement through our CPD rebate. If you pursue The Path training, we have arranged with CPSM to have the costs covered directly with the provider – you don’t even need to submit a CPD claim. Other approved options come with an up-front cost, but we are ensuring they are eligible for reimbursement under our CPD Claim-As-You-Learn rebate. Learn more about the options from CPSM here.
At Doctors Manitoba, the Board has also discussed this important issue, and the role we can play as your medical association in supporting the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and combating anti-Indigenous racism too. This will be an area of focus in the year ahead, and we encourage you to watch for updates.
Getting Healthy Summer Team
This summer, we have a team of three medical students including Muna Chira, Claire Healey, and Annie Jiang to promote the Getting Healthy Guide and encourage healthy lifestyle choices. Watch for them at festivals, events and destinations around Manitoba!
Get involved – We're also calling on physicians to get involved with Getting Healthy, as we aim to showcase doctors’ expertise with the public. There are many ways to help, and it doesn’t take much of your time. Learn more!
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