Why I Support More Private Health Care in Nova Scotia
Derek Montague is a Huddle reporter based in Halifax.
A couple of weeks ago, I found myself in a bit of a medical pickle. Once again, I needed my prescription renewed. Once again, I had procrastinated until the last minute to get that renewal.
I quickly found out that the old methods of getting healthcare don’t work when you’re in a hurry. I’m like 130,000 other Nova Scotians: I have no family doctor. I called my neighbourhood clinic but the walk-in portion was closed, even though it was a regular weekday.
The receptionist told me something that really highlighted the dire straits facing our traditional healthcare system: even when the walk-in clinic is open, you essentially must arrive as soon as it opens in the morning to have any chance of being seen.
The walk-in clinic was out of the question and we all know from headlines how desperate our emergency rooms are, so that wasn’t a great solution for a prescription refill, either. But then I remembered that Nova Scotia has a virtual care program.
That evening, I registered, but quickly hit another roadblock: it could take 10 business days to access VirtualCareNS after being put on the list.
With no other alternative, I checked out the website for Maple, the private, for-profit healthcare company that owns the online platform used for VirtualCareNS. For $69, I could consult with a doctor online and get my prescription.
For the first time in my life, I paid out-of-pocket for a standard primary healthcare service. I have a feeling that I’m not the only one who has done so in recent times. As much as we Canadians loathe the idea of for-profit companies in our healthcare system, it is clear that they are here to stay.
With wait times for services getting longer, people who can afford to pay a fee will do it to jump ahead of the line. I had no regrets about paying $69 so I could get my prescription quickly. No matter what the service is, if the government fails to be efficient, the private sector will always step in, and people will pay for convenience and peace of mind.
And it’s not just in the virtual healthcare sphere that this is happening. Last month, something that was once unthinkable happened in Halifax: a for-profit clinic opened. Randy Stevens, the CEO of this clinic told me in an interview that his frustration with the public system inspired his business venture.
“I had been seeing my GP for almost 40 years, and he saved my life a couple of times. Like all of us, he’s getting older and retired almost two years ago… Last November, I ended up having a quadruple bypass surgery and really didn’t have anywhere to go. The only option I had when I was out of the hospital was they gave me a little piece of equipment to take the staples out.”
“I needed to go see a doctor and I didn’t have one. So my wife called the walk-in clinic in Chester hundreds of times. And, fortunately, I was able to get an appointment during that period of time when I needed to get my stitches out.”
To be a patient at this clinic, one must pay a monthly subscription fee of $27.50. There are other fees for appointments as well. For some, paying to be on a patient list is ludicrous. But under the circumstances, I’d be surprised if that clinic’s list isn’t filling up quickly.
My experience with Maple was eye-opening. It took less than 10 minutes to connect with a doctor online. I had to send pictures of my pill bottles so she could see my prescription and dosage. When the appointment was over, the doctor took less than 10 minutes to send my prescription to my pharmacy.
It was $69 well spent. But now that I have access to VirtualCareNS, I shouldn’t have to pay out-of-pocket again for such a service.
A spokesperson for Nova Scotia Health told me that the province pays Maple $2 million a year but that there is also “volume pricing built-in” with the contract. The same spokesperson also said that 250 virtual appointments happen in the province every day and the number is growing.
Seventy family doctors and 20 nurse practitioners are providing services through the platform. It’s clear virtual health is a big part of our system’s future. And private-public partnerships like the one we have with Maple is likely how the technology will work.
VirtualCareNS launched only two years ago. A representative for Maple told me that 56,720 consultations have been completed in that timespan. More than 61,000 Nova Scotians have signed up for the service.
“Canadians have struggled with getting timely access to primary care through the traditional in-person system, and this is especially true for the thousands of Nova Scotians still without a family doctor,” said Maple CEO and co-founder Dr. Brett Belchetz in an email.
“We’re incredibly proud to be partnered with Nova Scotia Health in providing a reliable, publicly covered, and innovative solution like VirtualCareNS where unattached patients can access the care they need virtually.”
Maple is also partnered with other provinces to provide virtual care, including New Brunswick (eVisitNB), PEI, British Columbia, and Alberta.
Huddle publishes commentaries from groups and individuals on important business issues facing the Maritimes. These commentaries do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Huddle. To submit a commentary for consideration, contact our editor, Trevor Nichols: [email protected].