GTA UDPATE: Caregivers still need help finding a family physician to provide timely medical care for their loved one

June 19, 2024 UPDATE: Caregivers still need help in their search for a Family Physician to provide timely medical care in the GTA to their loved one. 

Before I begin, thank you for supporting your loved one. The caregiving you provide means a stronger family, stronger communities as a result, and a healthier society. Thank you.

Since I last wrote about the family physician scarcity 6 months ago, the debacle in Ontario has not improved. Family physician advocates including Dr Allan Grill have become more vocal about the needs of Ontarians and the responsibility of the province to better serve our aging loved ones. His urging, however, appears to be directed ultimately towards provincial decision-makers. At the family [system] level, where caregivers serve, we have continued to explore even more options for access because the healthcare needs of our clients and client families have only grown.  

These are my updated recommendations for the GTA: 

Physician specialists: If you, or your loved one, has an appointment with any physician specialist, ask at the time of the visit for a recommendation to a primary care provider. A question for you to ask the physician is “if a family member or friend approached you with the same question we are asking you today, what would you suggest?”

Nurse Practitioners have established clinics independent of physicians, and provide the same primary care services most patients are familiar with. For a convenient in-person location near your loved one’s home, The Village Health Clinic in Davisville and Yorkville-based Care& NP clinics are accepting patients.

Naturopaths have long been a resource for patients seeking an “alternative,” or “second opinion;” this is no longer the case. NDs can serve as primary care providers who complete physical exams, and order full lab panels (bloodwork) for your loved one. Burlington-based Clarity and Longev on King St. E. in Toronto provide consultation appointments via their virtual scheduling platforms.

Chiropractors can serve as a primary care provider, and have maintained this privilege since 2019. Look for a provider with a wider team of professionals on-site so you can combine appointments during a single visit with your loved one. For example, a DC providing acupuncture or fascial stretch therapy might also share an office with a physiotherapist and massage therapist. As an example, Beyond Chiropractic has offices located conveniently in Oakville and Downtown Toronto.

Once again, thank you for supporting your loved one. Because of what you do, your family is stronger and so are wider communities and society.

Want more like this? Let me co-create a Comprehensive Caregiving Plan with you to help achieve your goals! Reach me directly here: https://workhorsehealth.com/find-help/