Canadian Health Care Guide

• How Can Your Provincial College of Physicians and Surgeons Help You?

  It is a College's responsibility to protect the public by ensuring that practicing physicians are employing safe, ethical, high-quality methods of medical care…Read more »

• Specialists: Getting referred and getting seen fast

  If you need to see a specialist, avoid the waiting game by getting to know how the referral process works…Read more »

• Choosing a Family Doctor Means Finding the Right Fit for You

  Evaluating whether or not a particular health care provider is right for you is easy with these questions…Read more »

• Your Health Care Team: Who are the key players?

  Getting the care you need may simply involve learning how to access the professionals that make up your doctor’s network…Read more »

• Hospitals: Understanding your access to quality care

  Are some hospitals “better” than others? How is quality of care standardized? Which hospital is the right choice for me? Read more »

• Ophthalmologist, Optometrist, or Optician: Who should I see for my eye care?

  There are a number of different eye care specialists, and all of them play an important role in helping you maintain your eye health…Read more »

• 8 Helpful Hints for Finding a Doctor Faster

  Despite how important a family doctor is to maintaining an individual’s health, about four million Canadians still find themselves unable to locate a physician…Read more »

• Healthy Pregnancy Part I: Which professionals do I need to see?

  While doing research and seeking advice from loved ones are ways to help you learn about this new stage of life, the most important source of knowledge during this time is that of your qualified health care professional…Read more »

• Healthy Pregnancy Part II: Finding the right health care professional

  You’ve read all the books, and done all the research. You’ve decided which health care professional is right for you, but where to find them? Read more »

• Finding a Dentist

  Your dentist plays a key role in helping you maintain your oral health…Read more »

• Understanding the Role of a Speech Pathologist

  Speech language pathologists specialize in speech development, communication and swallowing…Read more »

• Your Oral Health Care Team

  Your oral health care team typically consists of a dentist, dental hygienist and a dental assistant…Read more »

• Naturopaths vs. Homeopaths

  Naturopaths and homeopaths are two types of health care providers that use natural remedies to treat illness…Read more »

• Diabetes Management: A team effort

  While self-management is important, it is also necessary to have a support team in place to ensure that you are effectively managing your diabetes…Read more »

• Allied Health Professionals: Expand your health network

  Provincial health care plans are relying more and more on Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) to increase access to healthcare…Read more »

• Pharmacists: An important member of your medical team

  Pharmacists are licensed health professionals with a university degree in drugs and medication management…Read more »

• Registered Massage Therapists: What services do they provide?

  A Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) is a medical professional who specializes in massage therapy, a series of techniques designed to relax, stretch and stimulate your muscles, joints and the soft tissues of your body…Read more »

• Registered Dietitians: Your ticket to healthy eating

  A registered dietitian can guide you to the most current information about food and nutrition from trusted sources…Read more »

• Family Doctors vs. General Practitioners: What exactly is the difference?

  When choosing a family doctor you may run into a common problem: deciding between a general practitioner (GP) and a family doctor (FD)…Read more »

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• Senior Health: Growing ‘old’ and thriving!

  While it may be true that older people are more prone to sickness, there’s no need to be consumed by worry at this time in your life…Read more »

• Troubleshooting Wait Times: How to get care and get it quickly

  Many Canadians still find themselves waiting to see their family doctor, get a referral to a specialist, or receive faster treatment for emergencies. However, there is good news…Read more »

• Emergency Rooms, Walk-In Clinics, and Urgent Care Centres

  When you have a medical concern, whether minor or serious, knowing which health care services are accessible to you is key to ensuring that you receive the proper care…Read more »

• Sexual Health: Where to find the information you need

  When it comes to your sexual health, attempting to access information may feel like you’ve fallen into a black hole…Read more »

• I Think My Child May Have a Learning Disability: Where can I locate help?

  According to the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, approximately 3.2% of Canadian children have a learning disability, which is equivalent to one child in every school bus full of children…Read more »

• Autism Support: Finding resources and services

  According to the Autism Society of Canada, autism is the most common neurological disorder, affecting approximately 1 in 165 children in Canada…Read more »

• Addiction Hotlines

  An addiction is a health damaging habit that is very difficult to stop, often interfering with other aspects of life such as work and family…Read more »

• Locating Health Facilities Near You

  Are you looking for a particular kind of health service but not sure how to find it? Read more »

• Provincial Nurse Hotlines

  In Canada, many provinces and/or territories offer nurse health lines for non-emergency medial advice over the telephone…Read more »

• Teen Health Crisis lines

  Kids Help Phone is a Canadian program that offers free, 24/7 counselling services to kids and teens between the ages of 5 and 20…Read more »

• Surgery at a Private Clinic: Choose carefully

  If your doctor has recommended that you get a surgical procedure, you probably want it done as quickly as possible…Read more »

• Executive Health Clinics

  Executive health clinics are designed to meet the needs of busy business people…Read more »

• Dental Visits: What to expect

  Regular dental visits are essential to good oral health…Read more »

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• Your Provincial Health Plan: How to navigate the health care system and manage expenses

  When it comes to costly health expenses, many Canadians receive private coverage; but these plans only cover up to a certain amount per calendar year…Read more »

• Medical Expenses and Tax Credits: How to keep your money in your pocket—where it belongs!

  Many Canadians still fail to claim their medical expenses, and end up overpaying on their taxes…Read more »

• Eye Care: What’s covered?

  Although the universal health care system in Canada is a great source of national pride, certain expenses, such as vision care, are not necessarily covered from coast to coast…Read more »

• Smoking Cessation Aids and Medications: Exploring coverage options

  Nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) and anti-smoking prescription drugs are just a couple of methods Canadians use to try to quit smoking…Read more »

• Diabetes Supplies, Devices, and Medications: What's covered?

  The financial burden of managing and monitoring a health condition can be overwhelming, especially for people with diabetes…Read more »

• Where Medicare Ends: Requesting coverage for a non-covered service

  The provincial health acts dictate that only medically necessary hospital and physician services will be covered by the provincial health plan…Read more »

• Who pays for health care?

  Canadians often talk about having “free health care”. But there must be someone who’s carrying the cost of our public health care system…Read more »

• Insurance Know-How: Defining payment terms

  Health insurance policies can be hard to understand because they use a multitude of terms, all with specific meanings…Read more »

• Moving: Take your health coverage with you

  When you move, your provincial health coverage does not automatically transfer to the new province…Read more »

• Health Services: What's covered in Canada?

  The Canadian health care system is a network of 13 publicly funded provincial and territorial health insurance plans, collectively known as Medicare…Read more »

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