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As we enter this new year, and a new era in neighbourly affairs between countries, we continue to face significant challenges here at home. One of these is the shortage of family physicians.
Doug Ford will announce an election very soon and is redistributing our tax dollars in the form of what, in all fairness, can only be dubbed a voter bribe. $3 billion (with a ‘B’) spent to give each and every one of us $200.
How could this have been better spent for you voters of Simcoe North?
There are 55,000 people in Simcoe North who do not have a personal physician (Ontario College of Physicians). This compounds everything in the health system, from emergency wait times to long-range health problems. A friend noted that in 2007, Belleville offered to pay $150,000 of doctor student debt if they signed on in that town. They got 19 new docs in nine months.
From Forbes this month: “The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) reported that the median medical school debt among the Class of 2021 was $200,000, not including their undergraduate debt.”
So – doing the math that Doug clearly prefers to ignore:
- There are about 80,000 voters in Simcoe North.
- $200 per person equals $16 million.
- $16 million divided by $200,000 per doc (for inflation) equals 80 new docs.
- This means 687 patients per doc (the 55,000 without).
- The average family doc in Ontario now carries over 800 patients.
- Do the math – then vote for someone who cares more about your long-term health than helping you buy socks at Costco.
For sure, if you are scraping by, use the money. But, if you are doing well enough, donate this “rebate” to a local charity in need. They are likely to be in need because of policies like the one that is paying you to vote blue.
Dennis Rizzo
Orillia
