Sept. 25, 2023
TORONTO – A group of Canadian doctors, nurses and other health-care providers has issued recommendations on how to make health care more equitable for disadvantaged people.
In a report published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal today, the group says people who are marginalized should be prioritized for access to a primary care(opens in a new tab) provider.
Lead author and St. Michael’s Hospital physician Dr. Nav Persaud says getting a family doctor or nurse practitioner should be automatic.
He compares the right to have a primary care provider to a child’s right to go to school.
Persaud says many people who are racialized, identify as LGBTQ2S+ or have low incomes face barriers to important screenings that can save lives and reduce illness.