VIDEO: Health Care From Your Couch Or Office

Dr. Belchetz was an emergency room doctor who felt there needed to be a better way to help patients than making them sit in waiting rooms for hours on end.

 

So he co-founded Maple, a tool that allows patients to videoconference with their doctors and medical professionals. Instead of waiting for hours in an emergency room for simple needs (eg. getting a prescription filled), patients could speak with a doctor from the comfort of their home, office, etc.

While patients have been able to video conference with doctors for several years, after COVID-19 emerged in Canada, governments across the country cut red tape to make it much easier for patients to use tools such as Maple without having to pay. (The cost is covered through medicare)

In this clip, Dr. Belchetz discusses the benefits of videoconferencing in the health care system, the limitations of such tools and options for governments to continue to cut red tape and improve services for patients.