Colleagues,
My thoughts for Yom Kippur
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Vaping
I don’t need to inform any of you that vaping is not safe. The OMA has been working through the connections established with our new relationship with the government on this issue. You can read a letter we sent to Minister Elliott here. Recently, the provincial government issued a call for increased restrictions on vaping products, and the OMA wholly supports this initiative. In fact, later today I will be meeting with the Minister as part of a roundtable discussion on vaping. The OMA is committed to working with the government, and other health care providers to reduce the harm that comes from vaping.
Scope of Practice Plan
Many members have expressed concerns about changes being proposed by the government to alter the scope of practice of various health care providers. The OMA is developing a multi-pronged strategy to respond to scope of practice changes and to promote the fundamental role of the physician in the 21st century. We are collecting evidence to perform cost-effectiveness analyses of scope expansions and are evaluating them based on a thorough set of principles developed in collaboration with the OMA’s Health Policy Committee.
At the end of the day, all changes in scope of practice, must be based on the principle of providing high quality health care (not convenience), under appropriate regulatory guidance, and enhance continuity of care. Based on the analyses we do, we will develop an advocacy campaign to promote those criteria.
In addition, a targeted campaign is being prepared to promote the unique role and value of the physician in the health care system.
Disability Insurance
Despite communication you may have received from Levine Financial Group, there have been no material and/or significant changes to the OMA’s Group Disability Insurance Plan. Members in the OMA Insurance DI plan will be receiving a letter shortly to clarify this issue.
Vaccine Hesitancy
The OMA continues to speak out against vaccine hesitancy. We’ve launched a multifacted campaign to reinforce the benefits of childhood vaccinations and counter the spread of anti-vaccine myths. You have an important role to play in sharing the facts. Please consider sharing the links below:
Info Links, Shareable Content
To view your President-Elect Dr. Samantha Hill’s submission to Toronto Board of Health on proposed changes to limit exemptions to vaccines, click here. And to read her follow-up blog on vaccine hesitancy, click here.
Petition to protect Inuit infants
Last week, on behalf of the OMA I signed a petition to support administering palivizumab (an RSV antibody) to Inuit infants who are high-risk for respiratory syncytial virus. Evidence shows that providing universal access to palivizumab in the regions of Nunavut and Nunavik could substantially reduce the rates of hospitalization and in certain areas save money and resources. More than 18,000 individuals have signed the petition, including OMA Section on Pediatrics Chair Dr. Shawn Kao and the Canadian Pediatric Society. I’ve promoted this issue on social media. I encourage you all to sign the petition, by clicking here.
Ontario’s Doctors Rock!
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Sohail Gandhi
President, Ontario Medical Association
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