Table 1.

Characteristics of All Family Physicians in Ontario, Canada Active in 2019 and Comparison of Characteristics Between Those With No Outpatient Visits During the First 6 Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic (March-September 2020) and Those With Any Visits

CharacteristicAll Family
Physicians
Active in 2019
Family Physicians With
Any Outpatient Visits From
March to September 2020
Family physicians With
No Outpatient Visits
March to September 2020
P Value
Physician age group, yn = 12,247 (%)n = 11,862 (%)n = 385 (%)
≤444,320 (35.3)4,188 (35.3)132 (34.3)<0.001
45-645,746 (46.9)5,644 (47.6)102 (26.5)
65-741,718 (14.0)1,618 (13.6)100 (26.0)
≥75454 (3.7)404 (3.4)50 (13.0)
Missing9 (0.1)8 (0.1)1 (0.3)
Physician age, y
Mean ± SD51 ± 1351 ± 1356 ± 16<0.001
Physician sex
Female5,861 (47.9)5,674 (47.8)187 (48.6)0.775
Male6,386 (52.1)6,188 (52.2)198 (51.4)
Model of care
PEM: Non-team capitation3,114 (25.4)3,052 (25.7)62 (16.1)<0.001
PEM: Enhanced fee-for-service2,854 (23.3)2,769 (23.3)85 (22.1)
PEM: Team-based capitation2,893 (23.6)2,825 (23.8)68 (17.7)
Non-PEM: Straight fee-for-service3,099 (25.3)2,954 (24.9)145 (37.7)
Missing287 (2.3)262 (2.2)25 (6.5)
Rurality (RIO)
Big cities (0)5,971 (48.8)5,773 (48.7)198 (51.4)0.399
Smaller cities (1 – 9)3,338 (27.3)3,245 (27.4)93 (24.2)
Small towns (10 – 39)1,817 (14.8)1,756 (14.8)61 (15.8)
Rural (≥40)1,111 (9.1)1,079 (9.1)32 (8.3)
Missing10 (0.1)9 (0.1)1 (0.3)
Physician panel size group
  <1001,847 (15.1)1,761 (14.8)86 (22.3)<0.001
100-4991,378 (11.3)1,310 (11.0)68 (17.7)
500-9992,369 (19.3)2,287 (19.3)82 (21.3)
1,000-1,4992,980 (24.3)2,917 (24.6)63 (16.4)
1,500-1,9991,899 (15.5)1,858 (15.7)41 (10.6)
≥2,0001,487 (12.1)1,467 (12.4)20 (5.2)
Missing287 (2.3)262 (2.2)25 (6.5)
Physician panel size
Mean ± SD1,097 ± 8291,106 ± 829788 ± 741<0.001
Median (IQR)1,059 (417-1,580)1,069 (437-1,588)673 (114-1,259)<0.001
Days with ≥1 billing, no.
March – Sept 2019 Mean ± SD100 ± 35101 ± 3573 ± 35<0.001
March – Sept 2020 Mean ± SD109 ± 42109 ± 420 ± 0
Total visits, no.
March – Sept 2019 Mean ± SD2,061 ± 1,7952,087 ± 1,8031,266 ± 1,281<0.001
March – Sept 2020 Mean ± SD1,703 ± 1,6741,758 ± 1,6720 ± 0<0.001
Percent of virtual visits
March – Sept 20192.02.00.07<0.001
March – Sept 202066.066.0
  • PEM = patient enrollment model; RIO = Rurality Index of Ontario.

  • Notes: The total number of billing days for the study period including weekends and holidays was 203 days (29 weeks). Rurality categorized using the Rurality Index of Ontario. See Kralj B. Measuring Rurality — RIO2008 BASIC: Methodology and Results. Ontario Medical Association; 2009. Accessed Sep 22, 2020. https://content.oma.org//wp-content/uploads/2008rio-fulltechnicalpaper.pdf