CFPC Blows it AGAIN. Insults All Ontario Physicians.

Jeez. I thought the Board of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) had learned its lesson following the ham fisted attempt to raise members dues and extend the residency to three years. In the aftermath of that debacle, CFPC President Dr. Mike Green promised a full review of the organization, and stated that the CFPC will be a “humbler and more transparent organization” going forward.

Turns out that letter was worth as much as an IOU from Donald Trump. The CFPC has once again insulted a good chunk of its members, and showed an incredible disconnect between those who run the organization, and the front line members whose dues pay them.

I’m referring of course, to the incredibly insensitive and frankly, downright insulting decision on the part of the CFPC to ask Dr. David Price to be one of the keynote speakers at the Family Medicine Forum (FMF). The FMF is their biggest continuing medical education event.

I will certainly agree that Dr. Price can be credited with a whole list of accomplishments. His resume alone would exceed the self imposed word count on my blogs. I would also completely agree that as someone who has done a lot work studying primary care models, he would, in fact provide some thought provoking ideas. While I wouldn’t agree with all of them, I would find them worth discussing.

But.

He is also a member of the Ontario Governments negotiations team. This is the team that has refused to provide a reasonable proposal for compensation for family doctors (and specialists) and has instead referred the matter to a protracted arbitration process.

Worse yet, the public proposal that the team put forth at the Arbitration hearing could very charitably be defined as inadequate. Not being in a charitable mood, I would rather describe their proposal as what it really is, insulting, out of touch with reality and frankly, downright offensive. Since Price has chosen to continue to be on that team, the blunt reality is that he is beholden to support the governments arbitration position. (Members of teams like this often will have varying view points internally – so who outside of him knows what he really thinks – but externally – he has to toe the party line).

The CFPC has taken the position that family doctors need to get paid more (good on them), and has lauded provinces like British Columbia who have chosen to do just that. Yet they invite someone whose team has told Ontario physicians that all they deserve (despite the runaway inflation of the past two years) is 3 per cent more.

The CFPC has also strongly advocated for a reduction in the admin burden and health system transformation (good on them). Yet the team Price is part of has essentially refused to acknowledge these as big issues. They’ve refused to pay for admin work. And those 2.5 million people without a family doctor in Ontario alone? The official position, which again, Price has to support as a team member, is that there is “no concern” about the supply of doctors in Ontario.

Yes, that’s correct. Publicly, Price has to say:

• 3 per cent raise is enough for all doctors (despite inflation being 15% from 2020-2023)
• no retention or recruitment bonuses
• no payment for admin time
• no recognition of the harm caused to physicians morale by such an offer
• no significant investments in Primary Care
• there are enough family doctors for Ontario

As I wrote previously, his position is a slap in the face to Ontario physicians.

It’s no secret to the general public that Ontario physicians are demoralized and burnt out. It’s no secret that more and more comprehensive care family physicians are closing their practices and that most are finding joy elsewhere. It’s no secret that many are leaving the province.

But apparently, all of this is either a secret to the CFPC Board and the FMF Team, or they just don’t care. By blindly ignoring the harm that the Ontario Governments Negotiations Team is doing, and inviting David Price to talk anyway, the CFPC and FMF team are basically giving the finger to all of their Ontario doctors.

It just amazes me that when even a young physician can realize that the position that Price’s team is taking is repugnant and shows disdain for family physicians, how can the CFPC Board not seen that??

What’s worse, usually keynote speakers at events get a stipend (having been a keynote speaker I can tell you it’s pretty nominal) and their travel/accommodations paid for. Well where does the CFPC get the money to pay Price? You guessed it, from the very dues collected by the members for whom Price’s negotiations teams has shown nothing but contempt.

Talk about rubbing salt in the wound.

It would be different if Price was not on the Negotiations Team. (If I was on that team and been forced to accept their proposals publicly, I would have resigned in disgust. Only Price can answer why he chooses to continue to stay on). Then, even though many will disagree with Price’s views, it would be fair to have a robust discussion about his ideas and why they may or may not work.

But to invite him to talk despite his association with the negotiations team shows that the complete disconnect between the Ivory Tower mentality of the CFPC and its hardworking frontline members persists despite the embarrassing fiasco of last year. One can only wonder what it will take for them to realize that as a membership driven organization, the CFPC really needs to be more sensitive to the feelings of their members.