Manitoba doctors getting sick of sick notes

A new report from Doctors Manitoba is calling for major changes to the way sick notes are issued in Manitoba, saying they are a waste of time for doctors and employers.

The report, released Friday, was created by a joint task force between the province and Doctors Manitoba. It is aimed at reducing administrative burdens on doctors, allowing them to see more patients.

"There is limited access to physicians in Manitoba due to a significant doctor shortage, and sick note requests consume limited available capacity," the report reads.

Dr. Nichelle Desilets, president-elect with Doctors Manitoba, said there are some instances where sick notes are necessary for patients, such as when an illness is not outward facing.

"On the other hand, there are a lot of employers who I feel use the medical system to monitor and legitimize their employee absenteeism," she said.

Manitoba is one of only three provinces with no prescribed limits on the use of sick notes.

According to the report, over 600,000 sick notes are requested each year, which results in 36,000 hours of physician time being used to write them.

The report claims that a third of the time when sick notes are written, the patient no longer has the symptoms to verify and no need for a medical appointment. These appointments cost taxpayers approximately $8 million a year, the survey reads.

"If they are very unwell with a communicable disease, I don't want (the patient) hanging out where we have other vulnerable people," Desilets said. "The best place for them to be is at home and resting."

Desilets said she especially feels for those people who know exactly what they need to do to feel better, but they feel obligated to sit and wait for someone to see them and write them a note.

Desilets blocks off time every week for administrative work, including sick notes. She said some of her colleagues have to do this work in the early morning or early evening because they have so many patients to treat.

"As a physician who has a young family and interests outside of work, that's not something I have been able to do," she said. "So I choose to use potential patient-facing time to do that paperwork."

Doctors Manitoba said if sick notes are eliminated and other physician paperwork is simplified, it could open up nearly half a million visits for other patients needing care.

The report calls for limiting requests from employers to require sick notes, only using them when a doctors' expertise adds value, such as when an accommodation is needed for a worker or a return-to-work plan.

A ministerial spokesperson said in an emailed statement to CTV News Winnipeg the province is happy to work with Doctors Manitoba to assess the recommendations.

"On sick notes, we are going to continue working with Doctors Manitoba as they consult with communities about what a change in this area would mean."

- With files from CTV’s Michelle Gerwing