A stock image of a physician sitting at a lap computer.
At a time when thousands of people in Newfoundland and Labrador are going without a family doctor, a new company offering virtual medical appointments says the service is already cutting down on unnecessary emergency room visits.ProActive Wellness Centre says its on demand service is already easing the burden on emergency rooms.
"We all know people, hear stories daily or weekly of people waiting in the ER 12-plus hours for simple things that they don't need to be there for. But they essentially are left no choice," Evan Parsons, the company's medical services coordinator, told CBC Radio'sAccording to a new poll, the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association estimates 163,000 people in the province are without a family doctor.
"One of the best things is to sort of remove all the barriers as much as possible. So we allow people to book almost right at the point of care," said Parsons.A year ago, the provincial government unveiled a $22 million two-year contract with U.S.-based virtual-care provider Teladoc.According to the Health Department, as of September there are 50,380 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians registered on Patient Connect N.L.
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