Regina clinic offers subscription for ‘faster service’ but critics say it’s privatization | CBC news

A subscription service offered by a Regina clinic is under fire from one of its patients for appearing to offer privatized health care.

Cecilia Rands says that about a week or two ago, she received an email addressed to her seven-year-old daughter from Albert & Parliament Primary Health Care, a clinic at 3992 Albert St.

The email had the subject line “Keep your doctor on the job.”

“It felt deceptive and manipulative, because it got to me emotionally that I was worried that my family doctor, who I really like and respect and have a good relationship with… might be leaving or changing his practice, ” said Rands, who is also a doula.

Instead, the email encouraged the clinic’s patients to sign up for a patient plan through health care company Healtheon.

These packages cost between $29.99 and $49.99.

The email describes Healtheon as providing patients with “faster service through AI-enabled technology,” along with “access to medical second opinions within two weeks,” and “enhanced patient experience with team-based care,” as well as “access to a network of over 4,000 healthcare professionals.” “

Rands said she understands doctors are overworked and underpaid, but she thinks the service sounds like a step toward privatization.

“I don’t think it should be my responsibility as a patient to add to these costs. That’s why we have a public health system,” she said.

Krystal Lewis is the provincial director of the Saskatchewan Health Coalition, an advocacy group for accessible health care.

The information in the email raises a lot of “red flags,” she said.

“I think it’s a little bit less well-known and a little more subtle kind of privatization that’s been creeping into the Canadian health care system,” Lewis said in an interview Tuesday.

The Albert & Parliament Clinic did not respond when contacted for comment.

However, the option to register with Healtheon has now been removed from the clinic’s website. The links in the email sent to Rand no longer work and now lead to a website with the title “Oops! This page cannot be found.”

Healtheon CEO Raymond Rupert spoke briefly with CBC/Radio-Canada on Tuesday, but declined to provide specific questions.

Lewis said news of the subscription service disappointed her, but she understands why clinics might feel the need to implement the policy.

“Our health system is in crisis and it’s pushing people to do things,” she said.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said that it has only recently become aware of a health center informing patients of membership in a particular service.

“It is important to note that under the Saskatchewan Health Insurance Act, no doctor or clinic can charge a patient more for publicly insured services provided by a doctor,” the statement said.

The Ministry of Health says it is currently evaluating the membership and how it relates to publicly insured services under the Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance Act.