Telemedicine Makes Canada a Leader in Timely Healthcare

 Canadians face the most extended healthcare wait times. Surprisingly, it's not due to a lack of doctors, according to Statistics Canada. The solution, therefore, is not 'adding more doctors' but helping more patients access doctors through virtual telehealth. 

The existing medical practitioners in the system can serve more patients effectively through telemedicine services. Healthcare is delivered remotely using technology like video, audio, and interactive text. It has the potential to ensure faster and greater comfort in healthcare delivery. At 1%, Canada is behind most countries when it comes to the adoption of telemedicine services. 


Wait Times in Canadian Healthcare

According to a study by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, though Canadians are satisfied with the quality of healthcare, it has the longest wait times in the world. 

The key findings of the above study are: 

  • 20% of Canadians reported waiting times of 7 days or more
  • 43% could get access to care the same or next day
  • 33% had to wait over 4 hours at the ER
  • 50% had to wait over 4 weeks to see a specialist
  • 41% had to wait over 24 hours to get a response from their physician

Alternate times like after-hours or weekend visits are not available, making life difficult for patients. This leads to more emergency room visits instead of consulting the family physician in BC. 41% of Canadians visit the emergency room for issues that family physicians usually deal with. This puts financial pressure on the healthcare system. 

Why More Canadian Doctors Don't Work Full-Time

The dependency of the aging population on the healthcare system puts pressure on funds for healthcare. Among doctors, mostly specialists need operating rooms, nurses, hospital beds, and other infrastructure for providing patient care. Lack of funding has resulted in unemployment for 178 orthopedic surgeons and 78% newly graduated ENT specialists. It's hardly surprising that 50% of Canadians suffer 4+ weeks wait times for specialist care. 

Primary care doctors have a fall in billing rates and can't cover their operating costs. It occurs during the evening and weekend hours. 

How Can Telehealth Assist?

Telehealth online enables treatment of primary care issues that a visual or verbal examination can resolve. With telemedicine in British Columbia, patients can consult doctors from the comfort of their homes by phone or videoconferencing. 

One of the biggest obstacles for doctors providing after-hours service is the cost of additional staff. By using virtual telehealth, doctors can avoid this cost and provide extra care. 

Telemedicine services allow patients faster and comfortable access to healthcare. They can consult a doctor 24x7 instead of rushing to the ER, and cancer patients can consult an oncologist at any time. 

From wearables to remote monitoring devices for measuring vital signs, virtual telehealth is constantly innovating. It would reduce the number of visits to the hospital by 126 million and ensure prevention with quicker treatment. More Canadians can enjoy better access to care with telehealth online. 

If you need a primary care physician, get in touch with WalkInVirtualClinics. Get access to the best telehealth services in Canada, and find a primary care physician of your choice from our team of experienced doctors.

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