Ontario’s Family Doctor Shortage Is Growing — How Centrum Pharmacy Is Part of the Solution in Orléans

The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) is once again sounding the alarm: Ontario’s family doctor shortage is worsening, with serious implications for patients and the health care system as a whole.

According to OMA President Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, more than 2.5 million Ontarians currently do not have a family doctor—a number projected to rise to 4.4 million in the coming years. The reasons are clear and concerning: a growing number of family physicians are planning to retire, while too few new graduates are entering family medicine.

Why This Shortage Matters

When patients lack access to a family doctor:

• Emergency departments become the default entry point to the health system
• Chronic diseases go untreated or poorly managed
• Preventable complications increase
• Cancer screening and routine preventive care are delayed or missed

As Dr. Abdurrahman explains, this places immense strain on emergency rooms, urgent care services, and frontline providers—while leaving patients without the continuity of care they need.

Newly practicing physicians, such as Dr. Stephen Morris in Orillia, report seeing patients who have gone 10–15 years without a family doctor, often presenting with advanced chronic disease, missed screenings, and avoidable complications. These stories highlight the urgent need for local, community-based solutions.

Team-Based Care: A Proven Path Forward

The OMA has identified team-based primary care as a key solution. By building structured teams around family physicians—including pharmacists, nurses, and allied health professionals—doctors can care for more patients effectively, reduce burnout, and improve outcomes.

This is precisely where Centrum Pharmacy has been leading for over a decade.

Centrum Pharmacy: Bringing Family Doctors to Orléans

There is an acute shortage of family doctors in Orléans, and Centrum Pharmacy is actively addressing this challenge.

For over 25 years, Centrum Pharmacy has:

• Recruited and sponsored family physicians to establish practices in Orléans
• Helped bring THIRTEEN family doctors to the Orleans community
• Enabled thousands of residents—previously without a physician—to finally be rostered with a family doctor

This work is not theoretical. It is measurable, sustained, and community focused. Through close collaboration with Orleans Family Health Clinic, Centrum Pharmacy has built a model that supports physicians while ensuring patients receive timely, continuous, and coordinated care.

How to Find a Family Doctor in Orléans

Option 1: Let Centrum Pharmacy Help You

Centrum Pharmacy takes pride in actively recruiting physicians for the Orléans community. Through our direct relationships with local clinics and healthcare providers, we can help connect patients with family doctors accepting new patients as opportunities arise.

Our physician recruitment efforts have already helped thousands of Orléans residents gain access to primary care.

Option 2: Search Independently

• Contact physician offices directly to ask if they are accepting new patients
• Use the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) “Find a Doctor” tool
• Follow up with clinics regularly, as availability changes

Option 3: Register with Health Care Connect

Register with Ontario’s Health Care Connect program, where a nurse will attempt to match you with a family doctor or nurse practitioner accepting new patients.

Why Choose Centrum Pharmacy While You Wait for a Family Doctor?

Centrum Pharmacy provides Complete, Comprehensive, Caring, and Connected Care—the 4 C’s that define our healthcare model.

Prescription Extensions at No Extra Cost

We provide complimentary prescription extensions for chronic medications—unlike many pharmacies that charge fees—so your therapy continues uninterrupted while you await a new physician.

Minor Ailment Consultations and Prescribing

Our pharmacists provide consultations and prescribe for eligible minor ailments six days a week. Appointments can be booked online or by calling (613) 837-4995.

Centrum Pharmacy Walk-In Clinic

Visit our Centrum Pharmacy Walk-In Clinic, open:

• Monday – Saturday (for the winter): 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

📍 210 Centrum Blvd, Suite 107, Orléans, ON

Over 25 Years of Personalized Care

Serving Orléans since 1999, Centrum Pharmacy is a family-operated healthcare destination committed to long-term patient relationships and continuity of care.

Convenience, Access, and Community Focus

From vaccinations and chronic disease management to online refills and home delivery, we prioritize efficiency, accessibility, and community health.

All Major Drug Plans Accepted

We proudly accept all major drug plans, ensuring affordable and seamless care for our patients.

Family Doctors Accepting New Patients in Orléans

If your doctor has retired, relocated, or closed their practice—or if you are new to Orléans—Centrum Pharmacy is here to help. Through our physician recruitment efforts and close collaboration with Orleans Family Health Clinic, we continue working toward one goal:

Ensuring every patient has access to a family doctor and coordinated primary care.

Speak with our team today and let us help guide you to the care you deserve.

Disclaimer: The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information does not substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment. Please do not initiate, modify, or discontinue any treatment, medication, or supplement solely based on this information. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider first. Full Disclaimer.