The NLMA is in the process of forming a Physician Administrative Burden Committee as part of an effort to reduce the amount of paperwork required by physicians across the country.

The Canadian Medical Association says doctors don’t go into medicine for the paperwork, citing the “relentless” administrative load required, from charting, to third-party forms and sick notes, to managing an office, tracking down lab results and patient appointment follow-ups.

The CMA says in many cases that work takes place after hours, negatively affecting work-life balance. A National Physician Health Survey showed that nearly 60 per cent of physicians indicated that the administrative burden were among the issues that directly contributed to worsening mental health.