A new Ontario Medical Association survey reveals a health-care system in profound crisis, with an overwhelming consensus among emergency department physicians about the severity of ER challenges.
Roughly 15 percent of the province's ER doctors responded. Of those, 74 percent said overcrowding was either severe or critical, and 76 percent reported it affected their ability to provide timely care on most or nearly every shift.
This data follows an Ipsos poll indicating most Ontarians believe the government has handled ER overcrowding poorly.
The Ministry of Health responded, citing record investments exceeding $101 billion this year and a 4 percent hospital sector increase. They also noted the addition of 50 new MRI and CT machines, 3,500 new hospital beds, 20,000 new doctors, and 100,000 new nurses since 2018.