A new study in npj Digital Medicine finds that adding virtual physicians to HealthLink BC’s 8-1-1 line is shifting care away from emergency departments and toward primary care. Analyzing more than 445,000 callers, researchers found fewer ER visits and more timely follow-up with family doctors – without increasing overall system costs. But the shift comes with higher out-of-pocket travel expenses for patients, highlighting the need for policy that balances virtual care benefits with real-world accessibility.
Canada’s health ministers met in Calgary to discuss major system challenges, but the Canadian Medical Association says the talks produced no concrete action. CMA president Dr. Margot Burnell warns that with severe shortages in family doctors and nurses, governments must move from discussion to implementation.
Last year, more than 1.2 million Canadians arrived at emergency departments seeking urgent care, only to leave without ever being treated – a stark reflection of the growing pressures facing the country’s healthcare system. Rising wait times and overcrowding are driving more patients to leave ERs untreated, exposing serious gaps in emergency care.
Canada’s emergency departments continue to face rising strain as limited access to primary care, long wait times and persistent overcrowding push more patients into already burdened EDs. New findings from Canada’s Drug Agency highlight emerging technologies, innovative care models and evidence-based strategies that may help reduce wait times, improve patient flow and support a more resilient, accessible emergency care system.
“Collectively, Canadian ERs closed their doors for at least 1.14 million hours since 2019 – the equivalent of 47,500 days...Since 2019, at least 34 per cent of Canadian ERs had an unplanned, short-term closure or a planned, long-lasting reduction in hours, usually shutting down on nights or weekends or both,” noted Kelly Grant, Tu Thanh Ha and Yang Sun for The Globe and Mail, July 4, 2025.
Emergency rooms in Canada operate 24/7 and focus on treating severe or life-threatening conditions. After arrival, a triage nurse assesses urgency, which can result in long waits when departments are busy. Many non-urgent issues are better handled at walk-in clinics, urgent care centres or through family doctors, helping reduce overcrowding and keep ERs available for true emergencies.
Compared to nine of its global peers, Canada recently ranked last in primary care access Opens in a new window, with only 86% of adults having a regular doctor or care facility — Germany, the UK, New Zealand and the Netherlands all performed better, with more than 95% of the population reporting access to regular primary care.
It’s disheartening to hear stories of colleagues enduring lengthy waits in emergency departments while experiencing chest pain and atrial fibrillation, children bleeding on the roadside as they wait for an ambulance for hours and people stuck at home without the ability to access a family doctor.
Canadians have historically been braggarts about our once world-class health-care system. Not these days. Our health care has morphed from something we could collectively gloat over to something we must all fret over.
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