ArticleAnnals of family medicine2026
Why Are Family Physicians Leaving Comprehensive Care? A Qualitative Study on Retention in Ontario.
Article in Annals of family medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Hospital admissions for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions among people with gout and other crystal arthropathies in Alberta, Canada: a population-based matched cohort study.Lancet regional health. Americas · 2026Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeA failure to retain family physicians already in practice is contributing to the current crisis for patients who are unable to access primary care. In this study we explored the reasons why Ontario family physicians left comprehensive care practice to identify what types of policies are critically needed for retention.
methodsThis qualitative study involved semistructured interviews, conducted in July-August 2024, with family physicians who left comprehensive care practice within the past 8 years. Virtual interviews were audio recorded, transcribed with double coding used for analysis and to identify categories from data. We sought participant validation of findings to enhance credibility and obtain feedback.
resultsTwelve participants were included: 4 family physicians each in early, mid-, and late career stages. Policy areas viewed as critical for retaining family physicians include financial, systemic, administrative burden, and support for family medicine. Participants described their experiences and decisions to leave comprehensive practice with 113 specific priorities identified, which, if addressed, are seen to be able to limit attrition from family medicine.
conclusionPatients seeking access to primary care will continue to be thwarted because family physicians' careers are increasingly being shortened with early exits. Retention of practicing family physicians requires immediate attention from government, with the primary challenge related to financial stability of practices in Ontario. Although there are numerous system challenges in health care, addressing those that add burden to family physicians would lessen burnout and provide much needed supports to professionals who do not choose to leave careers lightly.
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