Accessing medical treatment during COVID-19 – Dial-a-doc

COVID-19 is posing many challenges to every day life. One of these challenges includes access to medical appointments. While at CITC we are thankfully able to continue mental health services to our existing and to new clients by transitioning to virtual care, many doctors offices have been forced to close or be selective in terms of who they see face-to-face during this pandemic.

A recent Ontario Medical Association poll of its members have indicated that as many as 50% of physicians are thinking of closing their offices completely.

The good news is that a group of family doctors have created a website called Dial-A-Doc (www.dialadoc.ca) in response to COVID-19. The goal of Dial-A-Doc is to ensure all citizens in Ontario are able to access high quality medical care in a timely fashion. If you need to speak to a doctor and can’t access your GP, just fill out a form on their website and you will be called with an appointment within 24 hours.

Remember that you mental health and physical health are fundamentally linked. People with mental health issues are more likely to experience a wide range of physical conditions, and those with chronic physical conditions are twice as likely to experience depression and anxiety than the general population. So while it’s important to manage your mental health during COVID-19 and reduce stress levels, it is also important to maintain your physical health and manage pre-existing or new conditions.

If you would like access to a medical practitioner, please visit www.dialadoc.ca. For more information on our services, call/text 416-570-5050.

Stay well,

Dr. McBride