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Dear Dr. Manitoba
I am delighted to share an update from the Doctors Manitoba Board of Directors. The last few months have been very busy, and the Board received important updates and made decisions that will support members in your work. See below for a summary.
I hope you had time this summer to recharge and focus on your well-being.
Truth and Reconciliation
As we approach the fourth National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, I encourage you to take some time to read about the recent apology from the medical profession to Indigenous Peoples.
The Canadian Medical Association apologized for its role and the role of the medical profession in the harms caused to Indigenous Peoples in the health system, both through action and inaction. Doctors Manitoba joined this apology, with President Dr. Randy Guzman and President Elect Dr. Nichelle Desilets traveling to Victoria, BC, on the traditional territory of the lək̓ʷəŋiʔnəŋ speaking people of Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations for the ceremony.
Read more here about the apology ceremony, why it’s important, and what steps Doctors Manitoba is taking towards reconciliation and decolonization.
To help physicians and medical learners mark Truth and Reconciliation Day, our staff has prepared a list of resources and events, which you can access here.
In addition, we invite you to participate in a reconciliation workshop called the Virtual Blanket Exercise on October 8 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Click here to learn more and register.
Economic Trends
You may have heard that Ontario physicians will benefit from an arbitration award that will provide a 9.95% increase in overall physician remuneration. We received a presentation on the Ontario decision from our Doctors Manitoba Practice Advice and Compensation team, along with other economic updates relevant to physician practices. Our team monitors updates in every province to help identify promising remuneration developments as they prepare to negotiate our next Agreement, after our current historic Physician Services Agreement expires in 2027.
The Ontario arbitration decision comes after the Ontario Medical Association and provincial government were not able to agree on increases through negotiations. It only applies to the first of four years, with years two through four still subject to negotiations. While the headlines touted a 9.95% increase in the first year for Ontario doctors, the arbitration decision is quite complex. The first year includes a 3% general increase, with the remaining 6.95% assigned for targeted “catch up.” However, a lot of details on how these increases will be applied to different groups has not yet been determined. This likely means some physician groups will receive less than these amounts. Our staff are keen to analyze more of the details as they are finalized, and identify any promising developments for Manitoba physicians. If you hear of any positive increases or new models from Ontario colleagues, feel free to share them with our team by emailing practiceadvice@doctorsmanitoba.ca.
Based on the information available so far, our staff’s analysis is that the Ontario decision is similar at a broad global perspective to the first year of our Physician Services Agreement in Manitoba. This historic Agreement included a $21,000 special retention payment last summer and market increases effective October 1, 2023, along with several new tariffs and remuneration models to help address changing models of care and increasing practice costs.
Helping Physicians be Physicians
Last June, our Board approved a new strategic plan for Doctors Manitoba. It introduces a new strategic priority, that the entire health care system needs to "let physicians be physicians."
Being a physician often means providing care to patients, but for many it can also mean teaching, conducting research, or working in leadership roles. Regardless of what it means, we hear too often about the paperwork, runarounds, and distractions that take you away from doing what you love.
This is why we introduced this new priority. We are expanding our focus on reducing your administrative burden, whether that’s forms that should be eliminated, or frustrating electronic solutions that need to be fixed. We are advocating for authentic, physician-led team based care to help you extend your reach to more patients. We are looking at what resources and support members need for the business and professional obligations that come with being a physician.
You’ll be hearing a lot more about this theme in the coming months. In the meantime, see the message I sent, about the new strategic plan.
Health, Wellness and Mistreatment in our Profession
The Board received a briefing recently on physician and medical learner health and mistreatment. The research comes from our Annual Physician Survey conducted each winter, and while the findings are concerning, they are showing some progress in the right direction.
Here’s what we learned about physicians and medical learners in Manitoba:
- 54% of members reported experiencing moral distress
- 46% are experiencing high levels of burnout
- 28% are showing signs of depression
- 5% have thought about suicide in the last year
The analysis also showed that the groups who experienced higher rates include medical learners, early career physicians, and women.
On top of this, the research found 46% of physicians and medical learners have experienced mistreatment based on their gender, race, religious, sexual orientation or other attributes, and 47% agree there are barriers and inequities in the profession.
Hearing these numbers was difficult for the Board, to know how many of our colleagues are struggling across the province.
We also heard that while concerning, all of these numbers are getting better, decreasing from peaks we saw during the height of the pandemic.
Awareness and use of our Doc360 Physician Health services has increased over the last two years, along with expansions to counselling, peer support, mentorship, and the introduction of a New to Practice program for early career physicians. Doctors Manitoba is advocating for system-level changes too, like reducing administrative burden, better remuneration models, and promoting physician engagement within the health care system.
Please remember that our Doc360 resources are available to you, your colleagues and your families. You can learn more at Doc360.ca.
Pulse Check
As we enter fall and Manitobans head back to school and return from vacation, demand on the health care system starts to build, and that demand only increases when respiratory illness season arrives. This is typically a time of increased pressure on physicians, so our Doctors Manitoba staff are doing a pulse check to see how you are feeling in your practice. Feel free to send us a quick message about what’s working well and any hot spots emerging in your area. You can email our team in confidence at practiceadvice@doctorsmanitoba.ca.
Reminder to claim your CPD $1000 credit
The new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Credit Rebate is available to all fully licensed physicians. This is part of a revamp of the previous program based on feedback from Doctors Manitoba members. Now a $1,000 flat fee rebate is claimable by any fully licensed physician who has completed their minimum CPD credits in the previous year. Already over 1,800 physicians have claimed this new rebate since it was introduced in August.
Details on how to claim an additional CPD Expenses Rebate of up to $4,000 will be shared later this fall. This will work on a “claim-as-you-learn” basis, eliminating the previous wait to submit claims, with simplified expense eligibility rules and fewer limitations.
To claim your CPD Credit Rebate, go to the Member Area of DoctorsManitoba.ca and log in using your email address and password. If you need help setting up your Member Portal account or accessing it, contact us at portalhelp@doctorsmanitoba.ca.
Mentorship Invitation
The Mentorship Program is seeking new mentors, both residents and practicing physicians. The program offers a variety of support, including mentorship events and complimentary training. Learn more about the program here.
Mentors contribute to changing medical culture, and help bridge the gap between medical learners and practicing physicians.
We’ve heard from mentors about how taking part in the program has reignited a sense of purpose and fulfillment in their work. Guiding a mentee through challenges and celebrating their successes provides an up-close view to the growth and achievements of learners.
Sign up here!
Other Important Updates
Our regularly weekly newsletter will return next week, including more information about these evolving stories:
- Health support workers have given notice that they intend to strike. This involves 25,000 workers across the province. The strike date is not until October 8, and more information should be available next week on contingency plans.
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The Province is on track to add 1,000 more providers this year including 116 more physicians. See our initial response here.
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Tiger Connect is now the new secure messaging app for physicians. You should discontinue using Cortext, and ensure you are signed up for Tiger Connect. Remember, Tiger Connect is available for free for all physicians in Manitoba. More info available here.
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