A new strategy related to primary care for Ottawa residents was approved unanimously by council, but bringing its goals to fruition will require teamwork and collaboration at all levels, local healthcare leaders say.
The Primary Care Provider Recruitment and Retention Strategy was approved by council after first being presented to the Finance and Corporate Services Committee on Oct. 14 to address the primary healthcare crisis currently facing the city.
According to the staff report, in 2022, at least 165,362 Ottawa residents did not have a family doctor, with marginalized groups disproportionately affected. That number is estimated to have grown since then.
Estimates from the primary care sector suggest Ottawa needs 270 new primary care providers, said the report, and that number does not include replacements for physicians who are approaching retirement.
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