Virtual healthcare ‘a good leap forward’ says NS doctor
The use of digital methods for providing healthcare to Nova Scotia residents has seen success in its first pilot programs.
With long waitlists for family doctors and wait times to see specialists reaching two to three years, virtual healthcare is becoming a tool to reduce the length it will take to receive medical assistance in the province.
Dr. Leisha Hawker is the head of Doctors Nova Scotia and says virtual healthcare can provide easier access to healthcare for Nova Scotians and help bridge the gap between family doctors and specialists.
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“It helps a lot with patient satisfaction, and they're getting the things they need much quicker,” she told CityNews, “but it also helps the family physician with that kind of burden that we have working in an under-resourced health system.”
Hawker says virtual healthcare platforms can quickly solve things like acute care services or prescription refills and can alleviate inconvenient trips to walk-in clinics.
“Once you talk to a physician for a couple of minutes, you can sort out whether or not virtual care is an appropriate tool for addressing that concern or if it requires additional in-person visits,” she added.
