A growing concern for many individuals in Canada is a lack of primary care physicians. For many individuals, they grow up seeing the same family doctor that their parents saw. However, more doctors are retiring, populations are growing and there are not enough medical doctors being trained in primary care to fill the gap. The few family doctors still practicing are so busy that they are unable to take on any new patients. So what are you supposed to do? Luckily naturopathic doctors (ND's) are primary care physicians. Often the terms "naturopathic doctor" is equated to "prevention." However, ND's are labelled primary care physicians under the Health Professions Act of Canada. ND's are highly trained in diagnostics, family medicine, labs, and pharmaceuticals. This also means that they can order labs, and have prescriptive rights within British Columbia. With more MD's looking towards specializations, ND's are able to fill the role of primary care physician, allowing everyone to utilize a primary care based delivery system. This basic system has been shown to increase the quality of care for patients. So if you are looking for a primary care physician, call your naturopathic doctor and get the best health care available!
As always, this post is not designed to diagnose or treat you, but instead to give you something to think about. Please book a consult with a naturopathic doctor prior to changing, starting, or stopping medications or protocols.