News articles do not necessarily represent the views of BC Family Doctors. We share news written by or about family physicians to keep our members up to date on topics impacting our professional lives.
By Drs. Sheryl Spithoff and Tara Kiran
The health care system’s pivot to virtual care during the pandemic has sparked a corporate stampede into primary care.
Virtual care services are appealing – especially to the millions of Canadians who don’t have a family doctor or who struggle to get a timely appointment with the doctor they do have. Who doesn’t like the idea of chatting with a doctor in your pajamas or skipping the waiting room?
But this shift to corporate-driven care also has a dark side. We need to be wary of the consequences.
It creates a system that is driven by profit – one where care is designed to maximize revenue, not health outcomes, and where your health data is viewed as a financial asset. Instead, we need to find ways to improve access and incorporate new technologies in a primary care system that prioritizes patient health.
Read the full article: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-dark-side-of-canadas-shift-to-corporate-driven-health-care/