Dear Colleagues,

As we all embrace the flu season along with all the other circulating viruses, I am reaching out to you with a few updates from the SGFP. As a community family physician, I understand the current pressures you are feeling as primary care continues to spiral downwards. Please know that your Section Executive continues to advocate for you as best as it can.

Members have contacted the SGFP with concerns regarding our ratified Physician Services Agreement (PSA). The SGFP would like to know how the current PSA will affect you and your practice. I ask you to answer via this survey.

Members Survey Responses
We would like to thank the many, many busy family physicians who took the time to provide details of the problems they are facing to share with our MPPs. Top concerns were: poor remuneration, too many forms, difficulty accessing specialists, shortage of family doctors, lack of locums, lack of team-based care and burnout. Also highlighted was the cognitive complexity of Family Medicine that cannot simply be offloaded to allied healthcare workers.

SGFP Townhall: Transitioning to the FHO model
The SGFP recognizes that many members still have questions on transitioning from FFS or FHG to the FHO model. In an effort to be more member responsive, we welcome you to join us on November 22 as OMA subject matter experts and SGFP panelists take you through the FHO transition requirements and process, followed by a live Q & A. Register in advance.

Negative Consequences of the PSA
The SGFP has received a flurry of emails from members regarding the negative consequences of our ratified PSA. These include the FFS cap limit, the extra imposed after hour coverage, ongoing inappropriate negation, and the virtual care billing restrictions. Please take the time to answer these survey questions on how the PSA is affecting you. The OMA has provided members with this PSA update/summary. Your section executive is advocating with the OMA and members should continue to send their PSA concerns to info@oma.org.

SGFP Website
I am happy to report that the SGFP website will be available soon. Our webmaster is EM2 DATA run by Dr. Greg Van de Mosselaer. Our first stage will include the updated and much awaited SGFP billing guide, information on the SGFP, practice information on how to manage inappropriate patient behavior, and various other links. As our website continues to grow, we plan to have a cellphone app and value-based opportunities for our members. Please support your section by contributing to our discretionary fund as this will help us develop our website.

I also want to thank our SGFP Website Working Group members for their work in developing our website: Dr. Iram Ahmed, Dr. Alykhan Abdulla, Dr. Vikesh Maraj and Dr. Sohal Goyal.

SGFP elections
The nomination period is now open for OMA elections and closes on November 24. The SGFP executive committee and its working groups benefit from diverse perspectives and opinions. Regardless of your stage or type of practice, please consider putting your name forward for election. The work is remunerated. Follow this link to nominate yourself.

Thank you for your ongoing dedication to our profession,

Dr. Cathy Mastrogiacomo
Chair, Section on General & Family Practice
chair@sgfp.ca