Hi friends,
I’m thrilled (and honestly, a little nervous!) to share the very first episode of Primary Focus, a new podcast I’m hosting about the state of primary care in Canada — and how we can fix it.
This podcast was born from a deep sense of urgency—and a conviction that we can do better.
Through OurCare, I’ve spent much of the last two and a half years hearing directly from patients and the public about their experiences with the system and what better would look like for them. Far too many shared how they are struggling because they don’t have a family doctor or any access to primary care. And even those who did have a doctor told us about challenges getting the care they needed in a way that was timely and met their needs.
At the same time, it’s been heartwarming to see how much people in Canada care for one another. Again and again, we heard from people about how they want every person in Canada to have access to high quality primary care, regardless of their background or where they live.
Through my travels across the country, I also heard from passionate healthcare leaders who are trying to make the system better with the resources they have. I’ve had a chance to visit innovative clinics in Canada—and more recently to also understand how other countries organize their care differently, usually with better results.
Here is a quick photo of me with some really inspiring GP residents I met recently on a trip to the Netherlands (more on the Netherlands coming up in future episodes):
There’s a lot we can learn from one another. But for Episode 1, I wanted to start at the beginning. How did we get in a situation where more than 6.5 million people don’t have access to the “front door” of our health system?
To do that, I called up a true expert on the topic — my friend (and yes, my boss) Dr. Danielle Martin. Many of you will know Danielle as a fearless advocate for better healthcare in this country, and the author of “Better Now: Six Big Ideas to Improve Healthcare for All Canadians”. Together, we dig into the foundational design of Canada’s healthcare system, where things went wrong, and what needs to change.
We also talk honestly about what it’s like being a family doctor today — and share why still love doing the work we do. Plus:
💬 Who’s accountable for the crisis in primary care?
📉 Why is it so hard to see a doctor - and, why is the system grappling with such significant gaps?
🌱 And what will it take to rebuild a system that truly works for everyone?
Here’s a quick taste:
This podcast is a conversation — and an invitation.
I believe that to fix primary care, we need to hear from the people who live it. That includes patients, clinicians, policy-makers and everyone in between.
💌 Got a story or an idea for a future episode? Email us at primary.focus@unityhealth.to
🗳️ Vote in the federal election on Monday April 28th. Ask the candidates in your riding what their plan is for primary care
🌐 Subscribe to this newsletter and share it with someone who cares about primary care.
Thanks so much for being here at the beginning. I can’t wait for you to hear what we’ve been working on.
With hope,
Tara
