In Renfrew County: A hybrid solution to the rural family doctor shortage

In this episode of Primary Focus, Dr. Tara Kiran travels to Renfrew County, Ontario, where an innovative team is tackling the family doctor shortage with a new kind of hybrid care - where your doctor is virtual, but your team is on-site. At the Petawawa Centennial Family Health Centre, Dr. Jonathan Fitzsimon shows Tara how patients are matched with virtual family physicians who work alongside local nurses, pharmacists, and other health professionals to provide full-service, ongoing care. The result? More than 6,000 people who once had no family doctor are now receiving comprehensive, team-based care. It’s a story about creativity, access, and what’s possible when rural communities rethink how primary care can be delivered.

Further reading:

Explore more about the Petawawa Centennial Family Health Centre Read a report summarizing Renfrew’s Integrated Virtual Care model 

Dive into research on the Integrated Virtual Care model including papers on early patient outcomes, patient experience, and staff experience. 

See some photos of Petawawa Centennial Family Health Centre (link to post)

MAINPRO CREDITS: Family doctors can claim Mainpro Credits by completing a linking learning exercise. 

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