- Page navigation anchor for RE: Primary care system outdated and inconvenient for many millennialsRE: Primary care system outdated and inconvenient for many millennials
As a millennial Family Physician myself, this article certainly rings true. What many physicians, and certainly funders, across Canada have yet to realize is that the way we communicate with friends, family, and businesses on a daily basis has changed dramatically - we text! The essential aspect of this medium of communication is that it is asynchronous.
Asynchronous messaging (or as some EMR vendors call it, "secure text") has been very successful in some longitudinal primary care clinic systems throughout the US ((for example, Sherpaa Health), and have provided equivalent continuity of care for patients while increasing patient convenience, and creating system efficiencies and cost savings. Some clinics that have embraced secure asynchronous messaging have seen 50% or more of "visits" occurring virtually and asynchronously, while providing equivalent care and continuity (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93vozgHfTB8).
Unfortunately in Canada, there is yet to be funding available for this in most provinces, and EMR vendors seem loathe to build out this capability where it doesn't directly increase their revenue. We need to come together as millennial physicians to push governments to help bring Family Medicine into the modern age. As many of my patients have said to me: "I can text my hair dresser and my dentist... why can't I text you?"
Competing Interests: None declared.
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