Ontario’s cardiologists encouraged by the new Ontario PC government’s “Olive Branch” regarding physician services agreement negotiations
Last week, barely one week after winning a massive majority government and even before the Premier-designate and Cabinet have been sworn-in, the new Ontario PC government expressed its desire to “reset the relationship between doctors and government”. Specifically, the government-elect’s physician services agreement negotiating team formally requested to replace the July 2018 arbitration dates (which involved arguments concerning proposed fee cuts to cardiac diagnostic services) with negotiation/mediation to explore the possibility of reaching a mutually acceptable settlement. The OMA has agreed to this request. The OAC welcomes this overture and looks forward to rebuilding the government-physician relationship that was so fractured under the previous Liberal government.