Vol 54:  october • octobre 2008  Canadian Family Physician • Le Médecin de famille canadien  1357 Commentary Vox populi Is the National Physician Survey worth it? Stewart Cameron MD FCFP T he average age of Canadian physicians was 50 years  as  of  last  year.1  The  mean  time  since  that  average  doctor  was  licensed  was  21  years,2  meaning  that  many in today’s medical community had begun their pro- fessional  careers  by  the  mid-1980s.  Most  of  our  physi- cians entered medical school before HMG-CoA reductase  inhibitors  were  available  and  before  the  identification  of  the  hepatitis  C  virus;  AIDS  had  only  just  been  described  as  a  disease.  While  these  doctors  were  completing  training,  researchers  were  still  working  the  bugs  out  of  magnetic  resonance  imaging  technology  and  coronary  angioplasty. These doctors went to medical school before  the  World  Wide  Web  existed.  Digital  photography  was  largely  restricted  to  space  pro- grams.  It  was,  in  many  respects,  a very different world. Those doc- tors  trained  in  one  century  and  are practising in another. Coming up short As  momentous  as  they  are,  it  could  be  argued  that  these  discoveries  and  inven- tions  are  not  the  biggest  issues  Canadian  doctors  have  grappled  with  since.  There  is  a  case  to  be  made  that  shortages  in  our  health  care  system  are  having  a  more  profound  effect  on  physician  practice.  Scarcity  of  resources—both  material  and  human—is  a  new  fact  of  life.  We  know  that  physicians  are  changing  how  they  work and practise in ways that are sometimes subtle but  nevertheless profound.  Even a casual follower of mainstream media could con- clude  that  these  changes  are  not  presented  to  the  public  particularly  well.  While  the  press  and  broadcasters  cover  new  advances  in  clinical  medicine,  they  are  less  likely  to  investigate  or  report  on  physician  practice  patterns  or  clinical  roles.  These  changes  are  not  well  followed  by  governments  either.  Politicians  are  often  reticent  to  draw  attention to issues that reflect badly on them.  Winds of change In  the  second  week  of  January  2008,  media  across  Canada  did  carry  numerous  stories  about  problems  with  the  supply  of  medical  manpower.  In-depth  stories  on  the  challenges  faced  by  Canadian  doctors  dealing  with  underfunding  and  understaffing  of  our  health  care  system were carried on the Web, on television, on radio,  and  by  newspapers.  This  was  followed  in  March  by  fur- ther  analysis,  broken  down  by  province  and  territory,  showing  how  the  changing  medical  work  force  has  effects  on  access  to  family  physicians  and  other  medi- cal  specialists.  In  April  another  wave  of  stories  covered  student and resident issues, such as the difficulties faced  by  rural  applicants  to  medical  schools.  June  brought  extensive  publicity  of  the  challenges  of  providing  care  for  patients  with  chronic  diseases.  Thoughtful  commen- tary  from  the  leaders  of  Canadian  physician  organiza- tions was used to illuminate the stories, all backed with  solid data.  These  stories  evoked  much  discussion  of  the  issues,  and  there  were  calls  to  address  the  problems.  The  print  media,  radio  talk  shows,  and  television  stations  requested  interviews  with  physicians,  and  a  cadre  of  well-versed  spokespersons  was  on hand to fulfil these requests.  This  coverage  was  a  result  of  the  release  of  data  from  the  National  Physician  Survey  (NPS),  a  project  of  the  College  of  Family  Physicians  of  Canada,  the  Canadian  Medical  Association,  and  the  Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.  The  NPS  appears  to  be  the  largest  such  undertak- ing in the world. While other countries rely on sporadic  surveys  and  small  polls,  Canada  has  a  unique  snapshot  of  the  issues  facing  physicians,  collected  directly  from  doctors  themselves.  Every  physician  in  the  nation  has  a  chance  to  contribute.  As  the  results  are  paired  with  those  of  the  previous  NPS  in  2004,  our  respective  orga- nizations  are  now  armed  with  powerful  information  to  guide health planning. Ongoing work with governments  will be strengthened by this unique source of knowledge  from the front lines of health care delivery. In addition, the results are not kept secret or partially  released  to  suit  an  agenda.  They  are  made  available  to  members, researchers, the media, and the public on the  NPS website (www.nationalphysiciansurvey.ca). Leading the way A huge coordinated effort is behind this campaign. The  NPS is planned years in advance with preparations that  include  the  selection  of  questions,  piloting  of  question- naires, and review of methodology to ensure statistical  reliability.  After  the  data  are  collected,  they  are  exten- sively  analyzed  to  reveal  important  trends  and  issues. Cet article se trouve aussi en français à la page 1362. Organizations are now armed with powerful information 1358  Canadian Family Physician • Le Médecin de famille canadien  Vol 54:  october • octobre 2008 Commentary Leaders and spokespersons are briefed. The releases to  the  public  are  coordinated  through  multiple  meetings,  e-mails, and teleconferences by the staff and leaders of  the 3 participating medical organizations.  Your  national  College  has  been  a  leader  through- out  this  process.  Indeed,  the  initial  NPS  in  2004  was  based  on  a  previous  work  force  survey  initiated  by  the  College  of  Family  Physicians  of  Canada.  The  College,  through  the  Janus  Project  and  its  steering  committee,  has  ensured  that  the  family  medicine  perspective  has  always featured prominently in the results.  There  are  encouraging  signs  that  the  media  are  now  paying more attention to this area.3,4 Sometimes, however,  Canadians seem resigned to a situation of care rationing  and  shortages.  They  have  tried  to  adjust  to  waiting  lists  as if they were inevitable. This suits the agenda of those  who would just as soon keep the data under wraps. The NPS will not allow that to happen. The stories in  the supplement to this issue are your stories, as you told  them. The public and the governments are hearing your  voice,  thanks  to  the  NPS.  Take  a  few  minutes  to  peruse  the supplement; it is about you and your career, and it is  something you can be proud of. The NPS is worth it.  Dr Cameron is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine  at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS, and is Chair of the Janus Steering  Committee of the College of Family Physicians of Canada. competing interests None declared correspondence Dr Stewart Cameron, Department of Family Medicine, Dalhousie University,  Lane 8, 5909 Veterans’ Lane, Halifax, NS B3H 2E2; telephone 902 473-6250;   fax 902 473-8548; e-mail stewart.cameron@dal.ca the opinions expressed in commentaries are those of the authors. Publication does not imply endorsement by the College of Family Physicians of Canada. references 1. College of Family Physicians of Canada, Canadian Medical Association, Royal  College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. National Physician Survey 2007. National results by FP/GP or other specialist, sex, age, and all physicians. Q4. Age. Mississauga, ON: College of Family Physicians of Canada. Available  from: www.nationalphysiciansurvey.ca/nps/2007_Survey/Results/ENG/ National/pdf/Q4/Q4_CORE.only.pdf. Accessed 2008 Aug 22. 2. College of Family Physicians of Canada, Canadian Medical Association, Royal  College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. National Physician Survey 2007. National results by FP/GP or other specialist, sex, age, and all physicians. Q11. Number of years licensed to practice medicine in Canada. Mississauga,  ON: College of Family Physicians of Canada. Available from: www.national physiciansurvey.ca/nps/2007_Survey/Results/ENG/National/pdf/Q11/ Q11_Core.only.pdf. Accessed 2008 Aug 22. 3. CBC News. Canada-wide pathology crisis on horizon, cancer inquiry warned.  CBC News 2008 Jun 26; Health. Available from: www.cbc.ca/health/ story/2008/06/26/pathology-plea.html. Accessed 2008 Aug 22. 4. CBC News. Hospital staffing crisis sparks huge rally in Grand Falls-Windsor.  CBC News 2008 Jul 3; Health. Available from: www.cbc.ca/health/ story/2008/07/03/central-rally.html. Accessed 2008 Aug 22. ✶ ✶ ✶