Original Research
Family Physician Administrative Workload per Patient Visit Increased Substantially Over 11 Years in Canada
Background: Family physicians dedicate substantial time to managing and coordinating care outside of patient interactions. This growing administrative workload causes burnout and overwork. This study used electronic health record (EHR) data from over 900 Canadian family physicians across six provinces to describe changes in physician workload between 2011 and 2021.
What They Found: Family physicians had more patient contacts, saw more unique patients, and worked more days in 2021 than in 2011. Referral rates per patient visit increased by 57% and laboratory tests by 29%, while the rate of prescriptions per patient contact stayed about the same. The average number of chronic conditions per medical encounter remained stable over the analysis period.
Implications: These findings demonstrate a growing demand and expectation for family physicians to streamline administrative tasks through improved technological interoperability, careful evaluation of AI, and team-based task sharing to allow more time for patient care.
More Indirect Patient Care Activities per Visit: 11-Year Analysis of Family Physician Electronic Health Records in Canada
Corresponding author: François Gallant, PhD, et al
Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
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The Annals of Family Medicine
26-May-2026