Tara Kiran is a family physician at the St. Michael’s Hospital Academic Family Health Team, a Scientist at the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions and the Fidani Chair in Improvement and Innovation at the University of Toronto.
Even though health care in Canada is publicly funded, individuals with low incomes too often face barriers when it comes to accessing health-care services, which can adversely impact their overall health.
Despite some improvements, reports published in recent years suggest primary care in Quebec performs poorly compared to other Canadian provinces in terms of accessibility and coordination.
The primary care system needs to be restructured and Canadians want to see reforms that support continuous relationships with their doctor or health team Let’s not be afraid to act on their recommendations.
Primary care is in crisis and there aren't enough doctors to go around. Done right, team-based care can expand the capacity of family doctors to care for more patients.
What do Canadians want in a primary care doctor? The OurCare survey results highlight that an ongoing relationship between a clinician and patient is key.
Results from the OurCare national survey estimate that more than one in five Canadian adults do not have access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner. It's time we invest in primary care.
We know the family doctor shortage is a problem that's only going to get worse. But there's one solution that comes up time and again: We need to expand interprofessional teams.
What trade-offs are acceptable to you? Do you currently have a family doctor or nurse practitioner? How important is it that every person living in Canada has a relationship with a family doctor? These are some of the questions we ask in the OurCare/NosSoins nation-wide survey.
Every day, thousands of Canadians are infected with COVID. But this isn’t March 2020. Due to mass vaccination and the particulars of Omicron, the majority of those getting COVID will not need hospital care. What Canadians do need is information, support at home and timely access to primary care.