Ep. 292: Hopsitals' role in those with chronic diseases

Guest: Dr. Scott Lear, Simon Fraser University

The coronavirus pandemic is exposing how poorly we manage patients with chronic diseases.

According to Dr Scott Lear, a Professor of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, “This is because the system relies on the unnecessary requirement of having patients attend hospital clinics for treatment, instead of using ubiquitous communications technology.”

Lear says, “Approximately 12.8 million Canadians have a chronic disease and more than half of them have two or more. On any given day, hundreds of these patients go to hospitals for clinics, simple physician consultations and rehabilitation sessions.” But he stresses, “Hospitals are the last place they should be. And this is now being recognized as hospitals across Canada have stopped all clinic visits due to the coronavirus crisis.”

Why, you ask, does the system function this way – especially in a digitally connected world? Lear says, “Our healthcare system is a late adopter. It was designed more than fifty years ago when people were either cured or died in hospital.” He goes on to say the entire system has hung onto outdated models including billing.

“The coronavirus pandemic is a call to action for the Canadian healthcare system. Adversity brings with it challenge but also innovation,” says Lear. He goes on to say, “Coming out of this crisis, this crisis is showing us there are better ways to care for patients with chronic diseases. And once over, we must resist the urge to go back to business as usual.”

We invited Dr. Scott Lear of the Simon Fraser University’s Faculty of Health to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the potential benefit to our healthcare system now that COVID-19 has forced the system to adapt to one where chronic care patients may never have to step into a hospital again.