Finding a family doctor accepting new patients is not an easy task, especially in urban areas. Here are a few tips to help you in your search.
Your youngest child isn’t looking too good, but it’s definitely not a case for the hospital emergency room. What’s more, one of your prescriptions will have to be renewed in the near future. A friend suggests that you see your family doctor. There’s only one problem—you don’t have one!
Like many Canadians, you may feel as though you’d have more luck finding a needle in a haystack than finding a family doctor accepting new patients! So, what are your options?
How to get a family doctor?
It is certainly true that right now there are not enough general practitioners. Traditionally, GPs cared for all the members of the same family, but today this might be a tricky goal to meet. The first thing to do is register on a government list for people without a family doctor. You will have to provide your names, telephone numbers, address, and postal code. This registration is free and voluntary. It is automatically renewed every year, unless you become the patient of a new doctor.
Registering on government lists facilitates your access to a family doctor, but keep in mind that these lists are prioritized according to the state of health of the patients. That means waiting times cannot be predicted; rather, the wait depends on the number of doctors in your area, the number of people on the list, and the kinds of health problems they have.
Groups of doctors
More and more groups of family doctors are setting up family care clinics, or family health groups. This sort of organization allows doctors to share resources with other health professionals, such as nurses or social workers. It also allows patients to have easier access to doctors. In a group practice, a doctor takes care of his or her own patients but may agree to see a colleague’s patient if the regular doctor is not available.
What if I can’t find a family doctor accepting new patients?
If you have a health-related emergency, go to a walk-in clinic, hospital emergency room, or call the toll-free health emergency number in your province for advice on how to proceed.
Easier in rural areas
According to a 2010 study by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, doctors practicing in rural areas are more likely to accept new patients. This study highlights three findings.
- Male physicians in rural Canada are more likely to accept new patients than female doctors.
- In rural areas, family doctors under the age of 35 are more likely to accept new patients than those aged 35 and over.
- Rural doctors who have graduated abroad are 4.3 times more likely to accept new patients than their counterparts who graduated in Canada.
The College of Family Physicians of Canada can provide you with more information on the steps to take when looking for a family doctor accepting new patients.
