I’m with the doctors in their dispute with the provincial government

From the Guelph Mercury

If you've ever waited in a hospital emergency room, your pain level at a 9 out of 10, throwing up so hard you wished you were dead, then you will appreciate all the medical profession does.

I certainly do, because a few years ago that was my ER experience.Have you ever had a loved one in severe pain every day due to bone-on-bone osteoarthritis needing knee and hip replacements? I have — my wife.

Thanks to the surgical expertise of our wonderful family physicians, Dr. Peter Hendrie and Dr. Steven Hoey, who performed her four surgeries over 14 months, today she is almost pain free.

If you have ever had a loved one fighting or dying from cancer, all the specialists, researchers, palliative care doctors and medical staff are truly appreciated.

Recently, I have become very concerned about the future quality of health care in this province due to the failure of the Ministry of Health to negotiate a physicians service agreement with the Ontario Medical Association (OMA). It has been more than 300 days since the last contract expired.

Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins is a typical politician whose statements on the negotiations sound reasonable, but according to OMA president Dr. Ved Tandan, the province is intentionally misleading Ontarians about the failed negotiations.

Tandan has stated that the province wants to cut five per cent from doctors' medical services. The government will cut fees by 2.65 per cent and eliminate weekend premium pay to chop spending by $580 million. On Feb. 1, all physicians' payments, including fee-for service, salaries and alternative payment plans, will be cut.

Somehow, I don't think — in fact I know — that cutting $580 million out of the health-care system just doesn't make sense. It certainly won't improve patient care or life expectancy.

It is not wise to try to eliminate a $12.5-billion debt on the backs of the doctors. The wait times will not improve. Doctors will look for other places to work and the elderly will clog up the system.

The Ontario government debacles over the past decade are boondoggles of the highest order:

•$1.9 billion for smart meters that weren't so smart
•The controversial MaRS phase-two building project, costing up to $477 million
•The e-Health (electronic health records) scandal, which reportedly wasted $1 billion
•The Ornge (air ambulance) fiasco (they were given $730 million over five years and then had to borrow another $300 million)
•And the cancellation of two gas-fired power plants, with an estimated loss of between $950 million to $1.9 billion.

Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk stated in her December report that the province is overspending by more than $8 billion on 74 provincial projects.

If you add the wasted money above to the ludicrous overspending of government officials, the amount is obscene. Think what could have been done if that money was put toward: aging medical costs; increased population medical costs (involving 140,000 individuals yearly); decreasing unacceptable wait times for emergency care and some surgeries; medical research; and hiring recent medical school graduates to lessen the 900,000 Ontarians without a primary physician.

The government wastes money, big money. Doctors diagnose and make us as well as possible. The government cancels costly gas plants. Doctors replace/repair joints of all sizes and shapes. The government installs not-so-smart meters. Doctors fight cancer and save lives. The government goes from one financial scandal to another.

Doctors: you get the picture.

Some quick facts to consider:

•OHIP billings do not equal salary
•Doctors have overhead costs of about 30 per cent of their billings
•Doctors are willing to take a pay freeze (again), but an increase of 2.7 per cent annually is needed to meet future demands.
•They don't get pensions, benefits or paid holidays.

Find your savings somewhere else. I can make an argument for several other areas not to be cut, such as education and child care, but not one is as convincing as health care.

How important is it to me?

I don't mind if you significantly increase the sin taxes on gambling, alcohol and cigarettes.

I don't mind if you impose a carbon tax.

I don't mind if you boost the gasoline tax.

I understand if you have to delay infrastructure items, reduce the number of government employees and contract out. But if we are getting sicker, not being cared for because the government is "incompetent," and if the Health Ministry plans to make the system worse, I just can't stomach it.

The OMA's Dr. Tandan is urging Ontarians to contact their MPPs to tell the province to get back to the table to negotiate a contract that won't affect patient services. What a terrific suggestion — one that might save you or someone you love.

Mike Noonan is a member of the Guelph Mercury’s community editorial board.

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