Report Reveals Strain on Canada's ERs Due to Primary Care Shortages

One in seven emergency room visits could be managed by family doctors, highlighting gaps in access to primary and virtual care.

A Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) report finds 17% of ER visits involve conditions that could be addressed by primary care providers.
Approximately half of these visits could be resolved through virtual care, such as phone or video consultations, according to the study.
Young children, rural residents, and individuals without regular access to primary care are most likely to rely on emergency departments for non-urgent issues.
The report highlights a nationwide shortage of family doctors, with fewer medical graduates entering family medicine and a decline in patient caseloads for existing physicians.
Solutions proposed include expanding primary care access, improving virtual care services, and addressing broader systemic challenges like hospital capacity and long-term care availability.