Strategies to overcome physician shortages in northern Ontario: a study of policy implementation over 35 years.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Shortages and maldistribution of physicians in northern Ontario, Canada, have been a long-standing issue. This study seeks to document, in a chronological manner, the introduction of programmes intended to help solve the problem by the provincial government over a 35-year period and to examine several aspects of policy implementation, using these programmes as a case study.

Methods

A programme analysis approach was adopted to examine each of a broad range of programmes to determine its year of introduction, strategic category, complexity, time frame, and expected outcome. A chronology of programme initiation was constructed, on the basis of which an analysis was done to examine changes in strategies used by the provincial government from 1969 to 2004.

Results</

SUBMITTER: Pong RW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2588636 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature