Doctors Manitoba says Manitoba’s got the doctors but is having trouble keeping them

manitoba has attracted More doctors have come to the province over the past few years, but keeping them here is still an issue, a new report says.

In its annual Physicians report in manitoba released on thursday Doctors Manitoba says the province had a record-breaking net increase of 164 doctors last year.

There are now 225 physicians per 100,000 people, an improvement of 2.5 percent, but still well below the national average of 241.

Doctors Manitoba reports that 246 more physicians will be needed to reach the national average, and 697 more physicians will be needed to become the best in Canada.

Report receives data from Canadian Institute for Health Information and to understand trends, concerns and opportunities related to the province manitoba‘S doctor resources, Doctors Manitoba says in a news release.

despite progress on recruitmentit year’s research reinforces the need to focus on maintaining doctors we have, Doctors Manitoba President Dr. Nickel Desilets said in the release.

According to CIHI data, in 2024, Manitoba saw a net loss of 8.3 physicians per 1,000 people compared to other provinces — the second-worst performance of all provinces.

Doctors Manitoba also conducted a survey of its members and 1,318 fully licensed physicians (38 per cent) responded.

Among those responding to the Doctors Manitoba survey:

• 43 per cent were considering reducing their hours, retiring or leaving the province in the next three years.
• 21 per cent were considering retiring or leaving Manitoba in the next three years.
• 56 percent were experiencing distress and 48 percent were experiencing high rates of burnout.

Doctors Manitoba, citing a report from the Manitoba College of Physicians and Surgeons, said that over the past five years, Manitoba has lost an average of 155 doctors annually due to departure or retirement, a rate of four to five per cent.

The advocacy organization said that’s a huge difference from the percentage who said in the Doctors Manitoba survey that they were thinking about it in the next three years.

Furthermore, only 60 per cent of the students and residents who responded to the survey planned to stay in Manitoba, while the other 40 per cent planned to leave or were undecided.

The number of Manitoba graduates starting practice in the province has dropped from a record high of 87 in 2021 to 70 last year, Doctors Manitoba reports.

Doctors Manitoba said recruiting success over the past few years has largely been due to graduates from outside the province moving to Manitoba.

Desilets said frustrations over issues in Manitoba’s health-care system, such as excessive administrative burden, secretive electronic record systems and lack of access to equipment and facilities, have been cited by doctors as major drivers of burnout and distress and the leading reason some are planning to leave.

Doctors are urging the province of Manitoba to improve the environment where physicians work and learn.

The advocacy organization said this includes increasing consultations and engagement, streamlining computer operating systems between referring physicians and specialists, eliminating sick notes and other unnecessary administrative burdens, expanding team-based care and investing in the facilities and equipment physicians need to care for patients.

Doctors Manitoba will speak to the media Thursday afternoon about the report.