Home / Health / Ontario Primary Care: All Ontarians to See a Doctor by 2029
Ontario Primary Care: All Ontarians to See a Doctor by 2029
13 Jan
Summary
- Ontario aims to connect all residents to primary care by 2029.
- 275,000 people have been connected to care in the first year.
- Efforts include improving waitlist systems and training more doctors.
Ontario is on track to achieve its ambitious target of ensuring every resident has access to a primary care provider by 2029. Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced that within the initial year of the government's strategy, around 275,000 people have been successfully connected to a primary care provider, with a substantial portion of this progress attributed to clearing the Health Care Connect waitlist backlog.
While the auditor general noted underutilization of the Health Care Connect system, the government is actively working to optimize its efficiency. Dr. Jane Philpott leads a primary care action team, appointed a year ago, to expedite the process of finding family doctors or nurse practitioners. This focus is crucial for improving access across the province.
Further bolstering these efforts, the government is investing in new primary care teams, expanding medical school enrollment, and streamlining the licensing process for out-of-province physicians. These combined measures are designed to create a more robust and accessible primary care system for all Ontarians.
