Navigating the Health Care System

What is it like navigating the health care system as we get older? Our Canadian system is different than other countries, but some aspects of caring for seniors is the same. There are typically more health issues to manage, so care can be complex. We see our doctors more, we are referred to specialists more, we get more tests and we may show up in emergency more often. Who is looking at our care wholistically? This typically rests with the family doctor, but our doctor may have a practice rule that you can only talk about one issue per visit, so how do we talk about all our health issues? We find ourselves researching our issues, making a list and trying to use the time we have with our doctor efficiently. How is Artificial Intelligence (AI) affecting our care? Or technological advances? What about wait times in both emergency and community-based care? There are so many aspects to navigating the health care system and this conversation is just the beginning!