The NLMA is not surprised to hear that some patients are continuing to struggle to get seen by family physicians even as virtual clinics have become more commonplace.

Some residents are reporting having trouble getting an appointment with their physician, but that’s not surprising according to NLMA President Dr. Lynette Powell who says physician shortages remain.

Powell says many family doctors in the province are caring for “far more patients than would be recommended” simply because there’s no one else available to take those patients. Some are even participating in clinics to see patients who don’t have family doctors.

She says they do it to take pressure off the system but that pulls them out of their own clinics, adding to wait times.