Finding psychiatric care is a challenge for millions of Canadians in underserved regions. A Globe and Mail analysis highlights where the strain is greatest, and why an aging work force and low pay are making the problem worse.
In London, Ont., a 20-year-old man waits a year to see a psychiatrist after he is hospitalized for suicidal behaviour.
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Introducing innovation isn’t always easy, as Bill MacEwan, the former head of psychiatry at Vancouver’s St Paul’s Hospital, learned the hard way. A few years ago, Dr. MacEwan teamed up with another psychiatrist, Ron Remick, to begin treating patients in groups as part of the outpatient mental health services at St. Paul’s. In 2016, the new clinic completed 15,000 patient visits, according to the pair’s presentation at the Canadian Psychiatric Association’s annual conference this fall. By comparison, in 2014, the hospital-based outpatient clinic had 400 patient visits, Dr. MacEwan says, and operated with a budget three times larger.
Click here to read the full story in The Globe And Mail.
