Ongoing healthcare struggles spread beyond hospital walls
There are ongoing struggles in Ontario's healthcare system, emergency rooms are closed or operating on reduced hours, staffing shortages are constant, and the issues spread far beyond the major hospitals.
Experts say there is no sign of this issue getting any better anytime soon and the problem spans the entire healthcare system. The struggles to find care at any level are snowballing into the growing wait times at emergency rooms across the country.
"The stress is everywhere and unfortunately it hasn't gotten any better, in fact, we haven’t even seen it stop getting worse," said Dr. Atul Kapur, an emergency physician.
However, the issues aren't limited to the hospital walls, finding a family doctor might be considered winning the lottery.
"I was told that the average wait time for these clinics is about a year," Ottawa resident James Homuth said.
It is not a new problem -- but one that is compounding the larger issue, sending more people to the ER without the staff to keep up.
"I'm a little concerned but I do have the advantage of being rostered with Apple Tree. While I don't have a family doctor per se, I do have a slot there if I absolutely need to see someone, so that keeps me out of the emergency room, but it's not what I would prefer," Homuth said.
Family physicians say it all comes down to the same issue.
"We need to respect nurses, we need to pay them adequately, give them the benefits they deserve, we have to have more family doctors," Ottawa family physician Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth said. "We're reactive rather than proactive, that's why we're in this healthcare crisis."
That crisis is leaving some emergency rooms throughout the province closed at times. Last weekend the Montford Hospital closed its ER overnight, and the Glengarry Memorial Hospital is closed overnights on weekends until Aug. 22 due to a staffing shortage.
"Every hospital is feeling the strain, even the ones who haven’t had to close is feeling the strain of staffing shortages," said Dr. Kapur.
Premier Doug Ford said everything is on the table when it comes to solutions, even when pressed about his stance on privatization.
"It's abhorrent for Doug Ford or any premier to talk about putting privatization on the table or referring to it as some type of creative solution," said Dr. Kaplan-Myrth.
While experts admit there is no simple solution, many believe there is a clear first step.
"Stop the loss of staff we've seen, that involves improving their working conditions. Bill 124 is an important sign of respect, or disrespect towards healthcare staff," said Dr. Kapur.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
A Holocaust survivor will mark that history differently after the horrors of Oct. 7
This year's Holocaust Remembrance Day, which begins on Sunday evening in Israel, carries a heavier weight than usual for many Jews around the world.
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.