Doctors get a new deal

The Ontario Government announced tonight that it's reached a tentative pact with the province's doctors.

"I am pleased that we have reached a tentative agreement with the Ontario Medical Assocation," Sault MPP David Orazietti said tonight.

"Our government is committed to ensuring that physician compensation encourages doctors to continue to practise in Ontario and provides the incentives necessary to attract more doctors to our province. The agreement, if approved, would greatly benefit communities in Northern Ontario that have added challenges in recruiting physicians," Orazietti said.

"Locally, after nearly five years without a contract, our government reached a new funding agreement with the Group Health Centre in January of this year. The contract represented an 18% increase or $4 million in total enhancements bringing the new contract to $26 million."

The following are news releases issued tonight by the Ontario Ministry of Health and the Ontario Medical Assocation: *********************** McGuinty government and Ontario's doctors reach tentative agreement

Agreement will bring more doctors to communities and reduce wait times

TORONTO, March 4 - The McGuinty government and the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) have reached a tentative agreement, unanimously endorsed by the OMA board, that will bring more doctors to Ontario communities, reduce wait times and support doctors in delivering better health services to patients sooner, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced today.

"This is a good deal for doctors and it is a great deal for patients," Smitherman said. "This is an agreement that is responsive to their health needs and they will begin feeling the benefits immediately." The tentative agreement was unanimously endorsed by the OMA board and will be put before OMA members for ratification before March 30. "We have listened to Ontario doctors and have addressed their concerns while building on the core elements of our September tentative agreement," Smitherman said.

"With this tentative agreement doctors and the government have a new opportunity to work together to improve health care for the patients we serve." The agreement will: - relieve the doctor shortage by bringing more doctors to underserviced communities - support doctors who spend more time treating seniors, including helping them manage chronic conditions like diabetes - encourage physicians to provide preventative care like helping people quit smoking, screening for cancer and flu shots - support doctors who work in teams to provide comprehensive care to patients The deal includes an up-front investment of $120 million to provide doctors with increased payments in the first year of the agreement and enhance key services for patients.

******************** OMA board reaches new tentative agreement with government

New agreement retains increases from last agreement; includes an additional 5 percent total investment; introduces incorporation benefits; and erases billing thresholds

TORONTO, March 4 - The Board of Directors of the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) unanimously endorsed a new tentative agreement with government that will take steps to improve wait lists, doctor shortages, Ontario's competitiveness with other provinces and access to health care services for Ontario patients. "A priority of doctors was to address the zero per cent increase in the first year, while retaining those fee increases and program investments attained in the first agreement," said Dr. John Rapin, President of the OMA.

"I'm proud to say that the Board feels that we have met the priorities of doctors, and now have a tentative agreement that has additional investments, including a significant, retroactive increase in the first year for all doctors." All of the fee increases and program investments attained in the first agreement have been retained.

An additional investment of $120 million was achieved over the last agreement.

Changes from the November 2004 Agreement include: - across the board retroactive increase to April 1, 2004

- general and family practitioners 2.5% - specialists 2.0%

- to assist in improving wait times, billing thresholds will be eliminated this year - incorporation benefits - bringing doctors in line with most other provinces - the new contract that expires on March 31, 2008 allows for a re-investment opportunity in April 2007

- more doctors will have access to preventive care management premiums - enhancing health prevention and promotion efforts in Ontario - enhanced investments in emergency medicine

- wait list strategy - government has agreed to work closely with the OMA to ensure physicians' concerns are addressed Although the OMA Board has unanimously endorsed the terms of a new contract, it is the OMA's governing Council that is responsible for ratifying the new tentative agreement with government.

The governing Council will meet on March 30 to vote on the new contract.

All physicians in Ontario will have an opportunity to vote in a non-binding referendum between March 22 and March 28.

The results of this vote will be forwarded onto Council for consideration. "I want to thank Ontario doctors for their patience over the last 15 months. While we have been working hard on their behalf, they have been working hard for their patients," said Rapin. "I also want to thank Ontario patients for their support. In the last few months, we have received thousands of letters from patients supporting our efforts to get an agreement with government that addresses their concerns."

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