As we say goodbye to summer and return to our routines, I am pleased to share the most recent issue of eDialogue and update you on our recent Council Meeting.
It continues to be a challenging time for Ontario’s health care system. We recognize that the ongoing physician shortage is having a real impact on doctors’ capacity to care for patients and ensure their own personal well-being. Expectations of physicians’ day-to-day responsibilities grow increasingly unmanageable. One of the significant contributors to this stress is administrative burden, a topic we examine in three articles in this issue, including the specific toll that administrative burden is having on primary care providers.
But there is hope on the horizon. The existing and emerging applications of artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to address administrative burden and other common pain points, as well as support better patient outcomes. Our eDialogue cover story looks at the ways the profession is using AI, from completing patient charts and predicting the type of support they may need, to conducting assessments and more. While AI has the capacity to provide tremendous support, we must also consider the potential concerns. The article is an engaging read, especially as AI becomes more commonplace in our day-to-day lives.
“Expectations of physicians’ day-to-day responsibilities grow increasingly unmanageable.”
September is National Suicide Awareness Month and we recently released a podcast episode that discusses suicide prevention and awareness. The episode features Dr. Vivian Sapirman, psychiatrist and CPSO medical advisor; Dr. Juveria Zaheer, psychiatrist and researcher at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH); and Gina Nicoll, a dual expertise researcher at CAMH. I hope you find it helpful.
Our by-law modernization project, which aims to improve clarity and ensure a strong and resilient governance model, is currently underway. CPSO Council approved changes to by-laws related to the public register. These changes will streamline the information available on the register and take effect when our new register launches in 2024.
CPSO continues to make strides in applying an equity lens to our work as a regulator. This involves examining our processes and policies, in addition to growing our own understanding of all forms of discrimination faced by equity-seeking groups. In this issue, we speak to three physicians who have lived experience with ableism to understand how it can affect a patient’s care and experience in the health care system.
“These changes will streamline the information available on the register and take effect when our new register launches in 2024.”
Finally, September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation — a day to remember the survivors of Canada’s residential schools and to recognize the harm that colonialism and systemic racism have caused to generations of Indigenous families and communities. The journey towards truth and reconciliation is an ongoing process in which we all have a role to play. As a regulator, we continue to work to reduce barriers and increase access for our most vulnerable patients and populations.
Thank you for your continued commitment to providing great care during these challenging times.
Warm regards,
Nancy
Dr. Nancy Whitmore, MD, FRCSC, MBA
CPSO Registrar, CEO