“We have not put a cap on what we might need to invest to solve the problem.” – Finance Minister Bill Morneau
Does this apply to health professionals?
COVID-19 has overwhelmed health systems globally. It has caused more deaths in Italy and in Spain in one day than did SARS worldwide over several months. Dr. Anthony Fauci predicts that it may result in millions of cases in the United States with 100-200,000 deaths.
Like SARS, it disproportionately affects health professionals Recall that 44 per cent of Toronto SARS infections were in this group. In China, 3000 health workers were infected with COVID-19 and 22 died. In Spain, nearly 10,000 health workers are affected, or 15 per cent of cases. In Italy some 8,000 health workers are positive for the virus; some 10-15 per cent of doctors and nurses have become infected and 61 MDs have died.
Health professionals need expedited test results for COVID-19, an adequate supply of personal protective equipment, prompt licensure and assurance of full malpractice insurance — covered by government — and most importantly death and disability benefits.
For nurses who have practiced within the past three years, the CNO is expediting registration and will reimburse the application and is waiving the first year registration fee.
For physicians out of practice for three years or less, Saskatchewan offers an “emergency license” at no charge. Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia also offer licences to previously-retired MDs at no cost.
However, Ontario charges $345 for a 30-day supervised licence. For an Independent Practice Certificate, one must pay $1,045 for the application fee and then an annual membership fee of $1,725.
In Ontario, persons over age 70 have been advised to self-isolate at home. Hence health professionals — especially older ones called out of retirement to assist — need and deserve disability and death benefits.
Surgeons whose elective OR time has been slashed, palliative care and other MDs making house calls, and office-based family physician and internists have seen marked drops in income. Their disability insurance would not cover them. Older physicians do not qualify for such insurance, and find life insurance unaffordable. In June 2003, Ontario agreed to the “SARS Income Stabilization Program.”
Eventually some $190 million was paid to physicians, nurses, and paramedics.
Physicians across Canada should demand a similar program. In addition, there should be government-funded life insurance — at least for MDs, nurses, and respiratory therapists over age 65 who succumb to COVID-19.
The coronavirus is vastly more lethal than SARS, and the health and economic disruptions will last for many months, so such a program will be very costly.
In terms of cases and mortality from this pandemic, compared to the U.S., Canada has been fortunate. In retrospect, it was still slow to implement screening and 14-day self-isolation of airline passengers from Iran, Europe, and the United States, requiring all persons to avoid even fairly small groups, and closing the US-Canada border.
Financial support for health professionals is needed and needed now. Ottawa should bear most of the cost.
As Dr. Michael Ryan of the World Health Organization advised, “Be fast, have no regrets. You must be the first mover. The virus will always get you if you don’t move quickly.”
Or as Stephen Poloz, governor of the Bank of Canada asserted, “No firefighter ever got criticized for using too much water.”
Charles S. Shaver, MD
Ottawa, Ont.
