Manitoba family doctors say it'll take more than money for them to open longer hours

Manitoba family doctors say they're hopeful about some of the province's plans to improve the health-care sector, but caution that it'll take more than money for doctors and clinics to extend their hours.

Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson announced a plan on Thursday to spend $200 million on programs to "retain, train and recruit" heath-care professionals, but details of how the money is being spent are yet to be decided. 

Doctors and health-care experts say, however, those details will determine whether the money makes a difference.

One of the province's goals under the plan — which is geared to easing the burden on emergency rooms and getting care to Manitobans quicker — is to give incentives to doctors' offices and community health clinics to extend their hours. 

Joanna Lynch, president of the Manitoba College of Family Physicians, says a small number of her members will probably be very happy about the announcement, because they're now earning the same basic rate when they work evenings and weekends.

But Lynch warns that the "vast majority of family physicians are already working well above their capacity." 

"I have been in this business for 30 years. I don't know any lazy doctors in family medicine," said Lynch. 

"They're putting in 10-11 hour days and in some cases, visiting patients in hospital or the personal care home on their way home from work, and honestly, two to three hours worth of paperwork on top of that, every evening," she said. 

Lynch said she's concerned the recommendation to open longer "won't achieve the desired result because you just can't get more hours into the day." 

Travis Barron, a doctor from Newfoundland who trained in Ontario, said his career is proof that financial incentives make a difference. 

He says "it wouldn't have been possible" for him to take up a job in Brandon as a young doctor if the government of Manitoba hadn't provided a moving incentive. 

Barron said many young doctors like himself also have six-figure student loan debts.

Several provinces have announced incentives this year to woo and retain health-care workers. That makes it more important for Manitoba to address the issues that aren't about money, Barron said. 

He said any plan to extend hours will only work if it includes all health professionals needed to run an office.