THE MEDICAL RECORD:  THE EXTENT OF HOSPITAL CLOSURES IN ONTARIO + ROSTERING IN PRIMARY CARE

Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Alisa Naiman, Family Physician and Founder and Medical Director of The Medical Station in Toronto, Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Dr. Jamie Spiegelman, an  Internal medicine and critical care physician at Humber River Hospital.

According to a new report from the Ontario Health Coalition, a healthcare advocacy group, found that there were 1,199 closures at Ontario Hospitals between Jan 1st and Nov 24 of this year and that it was primarily urgent care centres that were affected. To be specific:  "868 temporary or permanent emergency department closures (one is permanent)". Meanwhile, we take a deep dive into the patient roster system in the context of primary care. Dr. Naiman explains how rostering typically works and what you need to know.

BRAMPTON MAYOR PATRICK BROWN CALLS INTO FIGHT BACK

Libby is joined by Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown.

Is Premier Doug Ford on the verge of cancelling the breakup of Peel Region? It was a promise he made to former Miss mayor Hazel McCallion on her deathbed but there are mounting fears that it will lead to big tax hikes and service cuts in Brampton and Caledon.

THE AG REPORT ON THE ONTARIO SCIENCE CENTRE + URGENT CARE IN HOSPITALS

Libby is joined by NDP MPP France Gelinas (Nickel-Belt) and health critic and Floyd Ruskin of Save Ontario's Science Centre.

The AG’s report was tabled just over an hour ago and it is focussed on healthcare and the plan to build a new Science centre at Ontario Place. There are no surprises in the healthcare findings: that one in five patients who went to ER were only there because they did not have a family doctor, that there was no province wide strategy to prevent ER closures and that there has been too much reliance on expensive staffing agencies because of doctor and nurse shortages. The acting AG also found that the province’s case for moving the Science Center was missing key information.