Question

Do you think the Covid-19 pandemic will change the future of health policy in Canada? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Canadian citizens have been looking for a change in the healthcare system for a long time now. But since the onset of Covid-19, The long due reforms that needed to happen have become a matter of national focus, and the need to make necessary changes have been fast-tracked by the healthcare system so much so that the historically entrenched issues like physician licensure, virtual health care, and our sick-at-work culture have been given permanent or temporary approval. Covid-19 and it's spread put so much strain on health care resources and workers that these changes had to be implemented as soon as possible.

Physician licensure: The initial focus during the early stages of the spread of Covid-19 was to keep the count low and within the limits of available healthcare resources. But looking at the widespread Covid-19, It was getting very difficult for healthcare professionals to attend to all the patients and it put a massive strain on healthcare authorities to provide proper care to everyone.

Physician licensure is the mobility of physicians to travel and work outside their assigned territory which couldn't be possible within the existing system. If a certain region faced a shortage of professionals to treat the patients, Physicians will have to get an additional license through a time-consuming government procedure. In order to reduce this licensing time, Authorities decided on issuing fast-tracked emergency licenses, to provide care in multiple jurisdictions.

Virtual care: Virtual care is not prevalent in Canada. However, Covid-19 catalyzed the rapid adoption of virtual care by the availability of supportive technlogy. Virtual care and physician licensure work well in collaboration because, with the implementation of physician licensure, physicians can now provide cross-regional care to the patients virtually or in person. The use of telephone and video conferencing has made it easier for patients in outer regions and suburbs to contact doctors and receive care. Since the digital framework is not fully operational in every part of the country, Covid-19 helped in laying the groundwork for more digitally based care.

Sick-at-work policy: It is general advisory to anyone that if they are sick or not feeling well, They should take a sick leave from work. However, physicians admit to being working while being sick, which makes other professionals and patients contracting the virus. Covid-19 made the authorities redefine the policies and have urged the employers to stop asking for a written note due to this pandemic. Instead, health offices are issuing general notes to whoever needs it.

These changes have been long overdue and Covid-19 made the authorities realize how outdated these policies were. But these policies are temporarily approved and should be made permanent.