CMA, MD Financial and Scotiabank seek solutions to cut doctors’ administrative tasks
The Canadian Medical Association (CMA), MD Financial Management Inc. and Scotiabank recently announced the recipients of their Health Care Unburdened Grant program, with $10-million in grants to support solutions for enhancing patient care by reducing administrative work and improving processes and practices in medicine.
Up to $1 million in grants
According to a press release issued by the three, the program will provide between $500,000 to $1 million in grants to organizations that are creating innovative solutions that lessen the administrative workload to help physicians be better supported in caring for their patients.
The recipients of the Health Care Unburdened Grant program include:
- Collège québécois des médecins de famille
- Université de Sherbrooke
- Doctors Manitoba
- GreenShield
- Kingston Health Sciences Centre
- New Brunswick Medical Society
- Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association
- Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
- Shuswap Cardiac Society
- University of Alberta
- University of Toronto
Well-being of MDs across Canada
“In bringing about systemic changes to improve the efficiency of procedures, thus reducing the time spent by doctors on administrative tasks, we are contributing to improving care for patients, while also improving the well-being of doctors across Canada,” Martine Coulombe, the Montreal-based regional head for eastern Canada with MD Financial Management Inc., said in an interview with Newsfirst Multimedia.
Citing some recent CMA statistics, Coulombe said up to 60 per cent of Canadian doctors who were survey respondents agreed that their administrative burden was significantly detrimental to their mental health. As well, they agreed that their administrative tasks interfered with patient care.
More administrative tasks
“Administrative burden has been increasing over the last decade,” said Dr. Kathleen Ross, President, Canadian Medical Association.
“Physicians report working more than 10 hours per week outside of the normal workday on administrative tasks, a direct contributor to burn out,” she added.
“The Health Care Unburdened Grant program is one of the ways our organizations can modernize the health system to increase time to focus on patient care and improve physician quality of life. Congratulations to the recipients and thank you for your work to improve the daily lives of physicians.”
$115 mil. from Scotiabank
The Canadian Medical Association (CMA), MD Financial Management (MD) and Scotiabank said that as proof of their commitment to supporting the medical profession and advancing health in Canada, Scotiabank had agreed to invest $115 million to support physicians and the communities they serve across Canada.
They said additional announcements for the physician community would be forthcoming, recognizing that such collaborations are essential to support the profession and effect meaningful change.
