Government Announces Projects to Determine the Number of Doctors in Canada

July 11, 2024 TruthUSA

The federal government has responded to long-standing pleas from doctors and nurses by allocating $47 million for the collection and analysis of data on health workers in Canada.

This funding will support research groups tasked with gathering and studying information about Canada’s health workforce, which has been challenging to compile across the various provincial health systems.

The largest portion, $22.5 million, is being awarded to a division of the Canadian Institute for Health Information to identify workforce gaps.

Additionally, $13 million is being provided to the Medical Council of Canada to enhance a national physician database containing details about doctors’ credentials, specialties, and locations. The goal is to facilitate the transfer of physician credentials within Canada.

Physicians and nurses have been urging the federal government to take the lead on addressing health workforce issues, especially in light of the strains experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as lengthy wait times, closures of emergency rooms, and immense stress on healthcare professionals.