Toronto
Ontario's hospitals say they are optimistic the province's new health-care reform legislation will protect against the drain of workers to expanding private surgical clinics.
Ontario Hospital Association CEO Anthony Dale says the province listened when hospitals asked for physicians who work in the new system to have hospital privileges.
He says those privileges mean doctors will be accountable to a hospital and must be on its regular on-call team.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones introduced a health-care reform bill on Tuesday that will allow more private clinics to offer certain publicly funded surgeries and procedures.
The province says there will be oversight of the new system, although it doesn't yet know which organizations will be responsible for that.
University Health Network CEO Kevin Smith says the legislation should protect hospitals from losing staff.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 22, 2023.
Banner image via The Canadian Press