As the physicians of NHS (Niagara Health System), we are deeply concerned about the hospital administration's response to the MSA (Medical Staff Association) request for pay equity with respect to mandatory HIS (Hospital Information System) training.  We bring our best every day to ensure that every patient that comes through the doors of the hospital gets extraordinary care, every time.

Even when supply shortages and inadequate planning by the government and administration meant that we didn't have adequate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to protect ourselves, we showed up to work, and risked our lives to keep the hospital running.

The hospital has given several arguments for not compensating physicians for mandatory training sessions:

1) There is no budget to pay physicians.

• The budget for Niagara Health's HIS transition is $150 million.  This money is earmarked SPECIFICALLY for HIS transition.  Paying physicians for the 6 hours of mandatory training would cost approximately $400 000 - which amounts to 0.26% of the HIS transition budget.
• The hospital had initially proposed not to pay nurses for this mandatory training, and have them complete these sessions on their own time.  The nurses union rejected this, and the hospital found the money to compensate them.

2) Other institutions in the region have not paid their physicians for mandatory training.

• Just because something is common practice, doesn't mean that it is right, and there is already precedent of physicians lobbying successfully to be compensated for their time.  Physicians in Kingston/Belleville/Napanee (districts 6&7) were successful in their bid to receive compensation for mandatory EMR (Electronic Medical Record) training.  In a province where hospitals are competing to attract new talent to supply our overwhelmed and understaffed medical system, Niagara Health System has the opportunity to show physicians that NHS is a place where physicians are acknowledged and appreciated.

3) The hospital will offer CME (Continuing Medical Education) credits in lieu of payment.

• We can't feed our families or pay our overhead expenses with CME credits.  Physicians are already being squeezed from all sides between inflation/the rising cost of living, changes in federal tax policy, and the Ontario Ministry of Health's refusal to negotiate a fair contract for physican remuneration with the OMA (Ontario Medical Association).
• Even at the proposed $100-175 per hour, physicians would be losing money (compared to in office billings), but the gesture would go a long way to making physicians feel acknowledged and appreciated.

The hospital has 2 options:

1) come to the table and negotiate with the MSA in good faith to determine appropriate physician remuneration for mandatory hospital training sessions

2) risk a costly delay in the HIS rollout due to a physician boycott of the scheduled HIS training sessions

We - the physicians of Niagara Health System - are finally standing up for ourselves and our interests. 

Every other group at the hospital is being remunerated for mandatory participation in HIS transition training.  There is no justifiable reason why physicians should have to sacrifice their time without the same consideration.