The founder of a virtual care platform says the service has seen a mass exodus of doctors following a change in fees for virtual services Ontario Kicked off this week.
entered into an agreement with the province Ontario Medical Association Starting this year, from Thursday, there has been a drastic reduction in the fees paid to doctors for several virtual visits.
Dr. William Cherniak, founder of virtual care platform Rocket Doctor, says 85 percent of Ontario doctors left or discontinued their services on his platform shortly after the changes.
The platform – which acts as a virtual walk-in clinic – allows doctors who may work elsewhere, allotted a fixed number of hours to see patients across the province.
Chernyak says the platform previously had 20 to 25 physicians collaborating to care for 500 to 600 Ontario patients per day, but today one doctor is caring for about 20 patients or fewer.
He says services such as Rocket Doctor provide greater access for patients in rural areas, as well as for those who cannot afford family doctors, and ease the pressure on a health system that is under immense pressure. Is.
Ontario’s Ministry of Health and the Ontario Medical Association did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the effects of the change to virtual-care fees.
