Long waits at local walk-in clinics
After moving to Ottawa a year ago, it’s been a challenge for Michelle Zilbergerts to access medical care.
“I have been trying to find a family doctor since moving here,” she said.
Zilbergerts says there were very few options when she needed to see a doctor fast.
“It’s frustrating, going into walk-in clinics and being forced to wait hours upon hours sometimes, just to get an appointment,” she said.
Traditionally, walk-in clinics are used by people without family doctors, but now the clinics themselves are filling up.
As an otherwise healthy 24-year-old, Zilbergerts says she was thankful it wasn’t an emergency.
“It’s definitely been really frustrating, the inability to access a stable family doctor has been definitely really stressful,” she said.
The president of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) says the struggle to find a family doctor has gotten worse across the country.
“There was a recent report in Ontario that found that by 2025, there will be several million patients who can’t find a family doctor,” said Dr. Alika LaFontaine, president of the CMA.
Althea, an Ottawa resident, tried to access three walk-in clinics in Ottawa two weeks ago, but failed.
“I went to three and spent over a $100 in cabs, but didn’t see a doctor in person,” she said.
Rachel Muir, who is a registered nurse and president of the Ontario Nurses Association for the Ottawa Hospital, says long wait times are also being felt in the emergency room at the hospital.
“The average wait time in the emergency room is now almost 21 hours, so that for me tells me that if there are spaces available in the walk-in clinics, they are taken up rapidly.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
Steve Buscemi punched in the face while walking in N.Y.C.
Hollywood actor Steve Buscemi has been treated for injuries after being punched in the face while walking in New York City.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
opinion Harry and Meghan's Nigerian adventure: traditional attire to warm welcomes
For her latest column on CTVNews.ca, royal commentator Afua Hagan writes about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent visit to Nigeria, calling it a 'deeply meaningful campaign' that was about aligning their ongoing efforts to foster mental-health awareness and promoting the Invictus Games.
Ontario's need for nurses, PSWs to top 33K and 50K by 2032: document
Ontario will need 33,200 more nurses and 50,853 more personal support workers by 2032, the government projects — figures it tried to keep secret but were obtained by The Canadian Press.
No concert ticket? No problem — Swifties can still gather at 'Taylgate' in Toronto
Whether you were lucky to nab tickets to one of Taylor Swift's six sold-out Toronto concerts in November or not, a new 'fan experience' hopes to get you into the party spirit.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
DEVELOPING Michael Cohen takes the stand as testimony in Trump hush money case enters 4th week
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.