Tag: OMA

• February 11

  Is the OMA an appropriate vehicle for negotiating doctors' fees?

  In the wake of the recent agreement between the Government of Ontario and the Ontario Medical Association, it is time to reevaluate the appropriateness of the OMA as the bargaining...Read more
• November 27

  Why the tentative agreement is the right deal for Ontario's doctors

  The Ontario Medical Association and Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care have reached a tentative Physician Services Agreement. So what does this mean for doctors and patients, and the Ontario...Read more
• November 26

  “Re-chartering” The OMA/government relationship

  An Assessment Of The New Agreement On Negotiation And Representation Rights  As readers know, the OMA and Government have now, subject to OMA ratification, resolved their differences over fees and money,...Read more
• November 22

  What does the government’s tentative agreement with doctors mean for Ontario’s health care system?

  Last week, the Ontario Medical Association and the Ontario government announced they had reached a tentative agreement that they hope will end their current dispute. The tentative agreement, which will run...Read more
• November 5

  Cutting doctor's fees: penny wise, but pound foolish

  As a recent ophthalmology and retina surgery graduate, I was shocked by the dramatic unilateral healthcare cuts announced in May. This left me with a poor first impression of the...Read more
• October 26

  Did the OMA go too far with its childhood obesity recommendations?

  The uproar has been furious. Literally. And I certainly understand why. But it's not because the Ontario Medial Association (OMA) went too far, it's because the OMA lost control of the...Read more
• July 11

  The false dichotomy of fee cuts

  Recently I had a discussion with some physician colleagues about the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) campaign and specifically the principle of communicating non-neutral, political information to our patients. The campaign...Read more
• July 6

  Patients lose in showdown between doctors and ministry

  The current negotiation process between the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) is deeply flawed. Currently, the negotiations focus primarily on physician pay and not on...Read more
• June 27

  Unchartered waters: bad faith bargaining or responsible government?

  On June 12, 2012, the OMA announced its intention to launch a constitutional challenge to the Ontario Government’s decision to reduce physician fees for 37 procedures and services. No doubt...Read more
• June 18

  Standoff with Ontario’s docs may hold back broader health reforms

  Changes to the fee structure of Ontario’s Docs are stoking a fiery dispute between the Ontario government and physicians. But the current standoff takes the momentum out of physician-centred reforms...Read more
• June 8

  Healthcare cuts: lessons from pharmacy

  If I harm a pt by making poor surgical decision for which evid was available to guide me;there is recourse. How is gov’t different? #onpoli — Dr. Shady Ashamalla (@AshamallaMD) June...Read more
• June 7

  Perspective on payment negotiation for Ontario's doctors

  The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) and Ministry of Health and Long Term Care negotiate fee schedules on a four year basis.  This year, the process has garnered a great deal of...Read more
• June 4

  Fear and the politics of medicine

  I’d like to talk to you a little bit about fear. As many who visit this site are no doubt aware, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) and the provincial government are...Read more
• May 30

  Punishing all self-referral is not the solution

  If I were a respirologist, I would receive many referrals from family doctors asking me to determine whether patients with shortness of breath have asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease....Read more
• May 18

  Ontario’s dust-up over doctor’s fees

  The public squabble between the Ontario Medical Association and the Ontario government about tweaking physician payments is to be expected: no one likes cuts to their income.  But in this...Read more
• March 15

  Is Drummond realistic? The challenge of achieving zero increase in physician compensation

  The Drummond Report recommended no increase in total compensation for Ontario’s doctors. A number of factors affect how much Ontario pays doctors including the number of doctors in practice, how many...Read more
• January 23

  Contract negotiations and the "bigger picture"

  It was sometime before Christmas and I was headed to a meeting at Queens Park when I saw the large bus shelter ad promoting how much money Ontario’s physician’s had...Read more
• August 24

  Making sense of Ontario's fee codes

  Most of Ontario’s doctors bill the Ontario Health Insurance Plan for their services on a “fee for service” basis. The amount doctors are paid for each service is established through negotiations between...Read more