Chair's Report - Fall 2024

Dear colleagues,

Now that we are into the final quarter of 2024, I want to share a comprehensive update on some key developments, achievements, and ongoing initiatives that are shaping our field and our organization’s advocacy efforts. For details regarding the newly arbitrated year 1 award and other important economics that affect our specialties, stay tuned for our relentless Dr. Goldszmidt’s tariff report to come mid-November.

Recent Advocacy Efforts Following Year 1 Award
Ontario’s Anesthesiologists, on behalf of all anesthesiologists of Ontario, submitted a formal letter to Dr. Cathy Faulds and the OMA Board emphasizing the urgent need for targeted investments in anesthesiology, especially given the current human resource shortages impacting surgical services across Ontario. Our letter highlighted the importance of non-relativity-based increases, support for Anesthesia Care Teams, and the need for fair compensation adjustments to improve recruitment and retention. Dr. Faulds acknowledged the seriousness of these issues, and we followed up with data to further reinforce our position and ensure that the unique challenges faced by anesthesiologists are prioritized during the decision-making process regarding how to implement the year 1 award. This was further discussed during the chair’s update at our Ontario Anesthesia Meeting. Following her address to our members, several members and executives were able to advocate further to her on this matter.

We remain committed to ensuring that anesthesiologists receive the necessary support to address the current staffing shortages and workload pressures, and we encourage all members to stay involved as these advocacy efforts progress.

Anesthesiology and Human Resources Shortage
The shortage of anesthesia human resources in Ontario is a pressing issue that profoundly affects patient care and surgical capacity. As the demand for anesthesia services continues to rise, our advocacy efforts have never been more crucial. Through our ongoing advocacy with patients, the OMA, MOH and the government, this concern has become a top priority, prominently featured in OMA’s “Stop the Crisis” campaign. This focus was reinforced during the recent priority and advocacy training for OMA physician delegates at Queen’s Park Day.

Ahead of the latest round of mediation on implementation of the year 1 PSA award, we launched an email campaign encouraging our members to advocate directly to their local MPPs for increased investment in anesthesia human resources. This campaign is vital in ensuring that our elected representatives understand the challenges facing our specialty and how they impact patient care across the province. These also build the foundation to allow for fruitful discussions that our executives have had and will continue to have as they engage with MPPs. So far, 61 emails have been sent to MPPs, the Premier and Minister of Health. Thank you to everyone who has already participated; your efforts are making a difference! For those who haven’t yet sent their message, there’s still time! You can easily send an email to your MPP using the link provided in the OMA-issued email sent on October 9. You can also access the letter directly on our website. I encourage everyone to not only send the letter but to share the link with your colleagues, friends, and family members. The more voices that reach MPPs, the more likely we are to create impactful change.

Our advocacy initiatives have taken many forms, including direct discussions with key decision-makers, collaboration with fellow physicians, and public awareness campaigns via social media to educate the community about the critical state of our sector. By actively engaging with policymakers, we strive to ensure that the perspectives and needs of anesthesiologists are acknowledged and that meaningful actions are implemented to tackle this escalating challenge within our healthcare system.

The Role of Anesthesia Care Teams (ACTs)
Another of our key advocacy focuses is the expansion of Anesthesia Care Teams. The ACT model is designed to extend the care that anesthesiologists can provide by allowing them to oversee and lead a team of highly skilled anesthesia assistants. This structure enables anesthesiologists to triage patients more effectively, focusing on those with the most urgent needs while maintaining high standards of care throughout the surgical process. By increasing the availability of ACTs, we can significantly improve access to anesthesia services, especially in underserved areas where recruiting anesthesiologists has been challenging. This approach helps to reduce surgical wait times, enhances patient safety and outcomes, and contributes to greater job satisfaction for our colleagues.

With the OMA placing significant emphasis on the anesthesia human resources shortage and recognizing the important work done by our OA executives and members to find sustainable solutions, we were able to engage in a meeting with Health Minister Sylvia Jones at the OMA’s October 21 Queen's Park Day. Along with senior OMA leadership including CEO Kim Moran, President Dr. Dominik Nowak, EVP for Advocacy, Communications and Marketing, Craig DuHamel, and General Counsel, Interim EVP Economics, Policy & Research, Adam Farber, I presented our ACT plan, underscoring the urgent need for investments in anesthesia resources. During the conversation, we highlighted the significant impact that the ongoing anesthesiology shortages have on surgical wait times and overall hospital efficiency. We advocated for strategic investments in anesthesia care teams, emphasizing the role they can play in improving OR throughput and patient care in high-demand areas such as obstetrics and trauma care. Minister Jones expressed genuine interest in addressing the issue, applauded our thoughtful solution-oriented approach and committed to exploring further discussions on the data from previous pilot programs. This meeting marks a promising step forward in addressing our specialty's critical needs.

Our recent participation in the OMA’s Queen's Park Day emphasized the critical role ACTs play in addressing the healthcare challenges facing our province. During this event, myself along with OA executives including Drs. Soniya Sharma, Stuart McCluskey, Daniel Cordovani, Environmental Sustainability Working Group members, Drs. Anita Rao, Peter Menikefs, David Ohrling and many of our front-line anesthesiologists and FP-A’s had the opportunity to engage directly with MPPs and shared our insights on the ACT model and its potential to alleviate pressure on the healthcare system. We highlighted how ACTs can optimize the use of existing resources and improve patient care, making a compelling case for increased support and investment in this model.

The discussions at Queen's Park were encouraging, as many decision-makers recognized the importance of team-based care in improving health-care outcomes. By advocating for ACTs, we aim to not only address the immediate staffing shortages but also foster a more collaborative and efficient healthcare delivery model across Ontario. Our ongoing advocacy efforts, including face-to-face conversations with key decision-makers and educational campaigns, will continue to emphasize the benefits of the ACT model and the vital role anesthesiologists play in providing high-quality care to patients.

In addition to these efforts, we recently engaged in a productive discussion with Matt Anderson, CEO and President of Ontario Health. We look forward to continued dialogue with Ontario Health as we work collectively on this critical shortage which directly impacts our ability to care for our Ontarians.

As we move forward, we remain committed to ensuring that the ACT model is integrated into the broader healthcare strategy in Ontario, reinforcing our dedication to enhancing patient care and addressing the challenges within our specialty.

I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the many anesthesiologists and OA executives, both past and present, who have dedicated countless hours to laying the foundation for our current advocacy efforts. Their tireless work in fostering strong relationships with the OMA, the Ministry of Health, and our patients has been crucial in driving our initiatives forward. Without their vision, commitment, and perseverance, we would not have achieved the progress we’ve made, from securing key conversations with policymakers to advancing the ACT model. Their efforts have set the stage for the meaningful changes we are striving to bring to our profession.

As we move forward, we will continue to build on the strong foundation already established, striving for improved working conditions, fair compensation, and better patient care for all of Ontario’s anesthesiologists. Together, we can make significant strides toward a stronger future for our profession.

Successful Ontario Anesthesia Meeting and AGM, September 2024
I am delighted to share that our September 2024 Ontario Anesthesia Meeting and AGM was a great success. It was wonderful to see so many of you in attendance. We had the opportunity to discuss important updates in our field, share insights on recent research, and socialize with colleagues from across the province. A special thank you to everyone who participated, and for your valuable contributions to our discussions. We were also able to advocate directly with OMA Board Chair, Dr. Cathy Faulds, during which we emphasized the critical needs of our specialty and the need for our voices to be heard in ongoing negotiations. Another particular highlight was the presentation of the Distinguished Service Award to Dr. Jon Hooper, which recognized his exceptional leadership and contributions to the field of anesthesiology, and honoured the fundraising efforts of him and his late wife Sindy towards the research of pancreatic cancer. You can read more about Dr. Hooper. 

As we move towards wrapping this year up, I want to thank you for your dedication and hard work. As we navigate these complex issues, it is through our collective efforts that we continue to make progress. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further information.

Looking forward to a productive and successful end to the year!

Sincerely,

Dr. Cindy Wang
Chair, Ontario's Anesthesiologists, A Section of the Ontario Medical Association