A Toronto-based research team met with and surveyed some 10,000 Canadians about the state of the health-care system — and what they found is deep dissatisfaction and frustration with primary care as the country grapples with a severe shortage of family doctors.A doctor enters an exam room to consult with a patient. A new report from the OurCare Initiative has found an estimated 22 per cent of Canadian adults — about 6.
"Primary care is falling short. Far too many people don't have access to what is the front door to the health-care system. We're a country of have and have-nots.Dr. Tara Kiran and her team of researchers surveyed 10,000 people. The biggest takeaway was a desire fore more doctors to improve primary care.
About 35 per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 29 are without a primary care provider, according to OurCare. Only 35 per cent of those surveyed said they could get a same-day or next-day appointment when they need care urgently, said the OurCare report. Kiran said that in a system where family doctors play a crucial gatekeeping or "quarterback" role — treating patients, coordinating care and providing referrals to specialists — everyone should have some sort of relationship with a primary care clinician.
Adding doctors costs more upfront but could save money in the long run through a greater focus on preventative medicine — treating conditions before they require more costly interventions like surgery.The federal government agreed last year to spend $46.2 billion more on health care than originally planned over the next ten years.
The report calls on governments to accelerate licensing of foreign-trained health-care professionals and train and recruit more people to work in primary care.
Source: Healthcare Press (healthcarepress.net)
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