White Coat Black Art 26:30 Primary care for all: Lessons from Denmark Emily Ritchie wasn't nervous about finding a doctor in Denmark. She knew that within days of moving from Vancouver to her family's new home in Copenhagen last year, they would be connected to a general practitioner. Denmark residents are given a card with a number they use for everything from opening a bank account to accessing health care.
The card also includes the name of an assigned general practitioner (GP), the equivalent of a family doctor in Denmark. "You're not left looking for a number. You're not left searching for who to contact.
It's gold in a card," Ritchie told Dr. Brian Goldman, host of CBC's White Coat, Black Art . 'We're seeing a Hunger Games' across Ontario: Hundreds in this town line up for a chance at a family doctor Meet some of the 6 million Canadians who don't have a family doctor It's a stark difference from the situation in Canada, where finding a family doctor or nurse practitioner can be challenging.
Some people can wait years depending on where they live. As many as 6.5 million Canadians may be without a family doctor or nurse practitioner.
Residents of the Walkerton, Ont., region line up to register for a new family doctor at an event hosted by the Legion on Jan. 15.
(Evan Mitsui/CBC) Dr. Tara Kiran, a family doctor in Toronto, says she knows primary care in Canada can be better. That's why she went to Denmark and the Netherlands to see how more than 95 per cent of the populati.