Ontario doctors call for reform, central intake, on access to specialized care

TORONTO — Ontario’s doctors are calling on the province to reform access to specialist care, drop the use of fax machines and launch a provincewide central intake so they can end their patchwork process of finding specialized care for patients through group chats and social media.

The Ontario Medical Association says problems with accessing specialist care have led to Ontarians turning to hospital emergency departments instead.

OMA president Dr. Rebecca Hicks says a recent survey shows one third of patients with a chronic condition are waiting six months or longer to see a specialist.

She says patients are now also waiting on average 30 days longer to get an MRI scan compared to 2022, and that is further complicating timely care.

Hicks says the lack of a comprehensive central intake system has left doctors scouring their own group chats and Facebook groups to help circumvent the current system they describe as a “black box.”

Health Minister Sylvia Jones says the province will work on a centralized intake system for specialized care once they have completed their central intake project for primary care.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2026.

Liam Casey, The Canadian Press