Ontario asks feds to close loophole that's led to 'disturbing' rise in pay for care clinics
Ontario’s Minister of Health is asking her federal counterpart to help close a loophole she says has led to a “disturbing”..
CP24
COVID-19 and Primary Care Clinics
Credit: Idaho On Your Side
Duration: 02:30s
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COVID-19 HASPROFOUNDLYIMPACTED THEHEALTH CAREINDUSTRY.THIS WEEK... WESHARED THEIMPORTANCE FORPATIENTS..
TOCONTINUE ROUTINECARE APPOINTMENTSFOR CHRONICCONDITIONS... ANDCANCERSCREENINGS.AND TODAY..
OURLYNSEY ADMUNDSONSHARES HOW A BIGDROP IN SUCHAPPOINTMENTS...HAS AFFECTEDLOCAL CLINICS."100 PERCENT OFPRIMARY CAREPRACTICE WERENEGATIVELYIMPACTED BYCORONAVIRUS, WITHA SIGNIFICANT DROPIN REVENUE,"DR PETERMAN SAYSIN THE EARLY STAGESOF CORONAVIRUSTHERE WAS ABOUT A70 PERCENTDECREASE INREVENUE...BECAUSE"THERE WAS A 70PERCENT DROP INTHE VISIT RATE TOOUR CLINICS, VERYQUICKLY THE TELEVISITS INCREASED,SO THAT 30 TO 40PERCENT OF THEVISITS WE HAD ATPRIMARY HEALTHWERE TELE VISITS."TELEHEALTH VISITSONLY MADE UP FOR ASMALL PORTION OFTELEHEALTH VISITSONLY MADE UP FOR ASMALL PORTION OFREVENUE LOST...BUTTHAT WASN'T THEONLY THING THATNEGATIVELYIMPACTED THECLINIC."OUR EXPENSESWENT WAYYYYY UP,BECAUSE WE HAD TOPURCHASE ALL THEPPE, AND THERE WASA SHORTAGE OFHAND SANITIZER,DESK WIPES ANDGLOVES ANDSUDDENLY THOSEPRICES WENT UP,"SO HE SAYS THEYSPENT 12 HOUR DAYSREDESIGNING EVERYASPECT OF HOWTHEY SAW PATIENTS."ANSWERING THEPHONE, MAKINGAPPOINTMENTS,BRINGING THEPATIENT BACK TOSEE THE DOCTOR,THE INTERACTION OFTHE NURSE WITH THEPATIENT, EVERYSTEP, THE ROOMCONFIGURATION,THERE ISN'T ANYPROCESS THATHASN'T BEENIMPACTED BYCORONAVIRUS."THIS INCLUDEDSEPARATING THEIRCLINICS INTO WHATTHEY CALLRESPIRATORYCLINICS AND QUOTECLEAN CLINICS."THOSE PATIENTSTHAT NEEDEDREGULAR WELLVISITS, THOSE VISITSWERE AT QUOTE OURCLEAN CLINIC, ANDTHOSE VISITS WHERESOMEONE HADCORONAVIRUSSYMPTOMS THATWERE QUOTEILLNESS RELATED,THEY ARE DIRECTEDTOWARDS OURRESPIRATORYCLINIC."SINCE ESTABLISHINGTHE QUOTE CLEANCLINICS...HE SAYSPRIMARY HEALTHSAPPOINTMENT SIZE ISBACK TO NORMAL."ONCE WE WEREABLE TO SAY TO OURPATIENTS AND STAFFWE CAN SEE YOUSAFELY IN THESENSE OF THECLEANENVIRONMENT THENOUR PATIENTSBEGAN TO COMEBACK."AS COVID-19 ISCONTINUING TOCHANGE AND AS WELEARN MORE ABOUTIT...DR PETERMANSAYS THEY HAVE TOKEEP REDESIGNINGTHE PROCESS INWHICH THEYOPERATE IN ORDERTO KEEP EVERYONESAFE....LYNSEYAMUNDSON IDAHONEWS 6.