Open AccessVirtual care and the influence of a pandemic: Necessary policy shifts to drive digital innovation in healthcare
Author(s) -
Patrick B. Patterson,
Jenna Roddick,
Candice Pollack,
Daniel J. Dutton
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
healthcare management forum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.418
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 2352-3883
pISSN - 0840-4704
DOI - 10.1177/08404704221110084
Subject(s) - health care , remuneration , business , pandemic , telehealth , telemedicine , public relations , nursing , covid-19 , knowledge management , internet privacy , medicine , computer science , political science , economic growth , finance , economics , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
The potential for virtual healthcare to improve access to primary care services in Canada has long been a topic of discussion; however, implementation has been slow despite growing interest among the public. Non-essential service lockdowns implemented in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed rapid and widespread uptake of virtual healthcare delivery. It is important to consider how to maintain equitable access to virtual care following the pandemic. We conducted a narrative scoping review to understand barriers related to the sustained adoption of virtual primary care delivery in Canada. Barriers at the system, healthcare provider, and patient levels were related to digital health infrastructure, and the regulatory environment governing virtual care provision and remuneration for healthcare professionals. The article identifies areas where policy shifts by health system leaders could sustain the longer-term availability of Canadian virtual care services.