'Soul-sucking administrative burden': The new task force working to stop physician burnout
The Manitoba government is partnering with Doctors Manitoba to launch a joint task force to help ease administrative burdens so doctors can focus on providing care and avoid burnout.
Health Minister Audrey Gordon announced the new task force on Friday, saying it will improve patient care and support the retention of doctors.
“Doctors often face excessive administrative requirements that place a burden on their time and take them away from their most important role, and that is providing care to Manitobans when they need it most,” she said.
“Manitoba is among the first provinces in the country to begin work to reduce the administrative burden on its doctors.”
The task force will work to identify any unnecessary administrative burdens, set goals, and then work with the organization to streamline or eliminate any of the burdens. It will also offer guidance and recommendations on how to avoid creating these administrative burdens for future doctors.
During this process, Doctors Manitoba will lead physician engagement to ensure the planning and implementation are informed by physicians’ experiences.
Dr. Candace Bradshaw, president of Doctors Manitoba, said she’s worked as a family physician for the past 21 years and has never seen the administrative burden on physicians as heavy as it is right now.
She added that research suggests doctors in Manitoba are spending 10 to 12 hours a week on administrative tasks, including paperwork and dealing with electronic medical records. Bradshaw said that research also shows that administrative burden is a leading cause of physician burnout.
“Doctors go into medicine to care for patients, but this soul-sucking administrative burden is stealing our time away from patients,” Bradshaw said.
The task force membership is in the process of being finalized and will include two co-chairs, three physicians, a representative from the Department of Health or the health system, and a representative from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business who has expertise in red tape reduction. The co-chairs will include one person appointed by the Manitoba government and one appointed by Doctors Manitoba.
The task force will begin its work immediately and will report to Gordon and Bradshaw.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.