Is going to a family doctor better than going to a walk-in clinic?
It depends. Both options offer a way to see a doctor, but they’re not interchangeable.
Why go to a walk-in clinic?
Walk-in clinics are meant to handle time-sensitive issues, like sprains, breaks, cuts or infections. Appointments should be focused and to the point. They serve an important purpose for patients with sudden symptoms or injuries, particularly if there wasn’t time to wait for an appointment with a family doctor.
How is that different from a family doctor?
Family doctors treat the same person over time and know the full story of a patient and their history. This provides important clues for figuring out the root cause of an issue, instead of just treating symptoms. Family doctors also focus on preventing disease and screening for early detection to give patients the best possible outcomes.
Family doctors provide a vital link to specialists and help patients manage chronic disease, access diagnostic services and track their overall health. That’s why primary care is called the “front door of the health care system.”
Should I have a family doctor?
Multiple studies say patients fare better when they see the same doctor over and over. For instance, one study suggested having a family doctor can help catch cancer earlier.
- In addition to having a better understanding of your full health history, family doctors can offer care suited to a patient’s cultural background and identity.
- Depending on location, records from a visit to a walk-in clinic aren’t automatically shared with a family doctor. This can create an incomplete picture of your health history.
Why do some people go to walk-in clinics instead of a family doctor?
The simple answer — many have no choice. More than 6.5 million Canadians do not have a family doctor.
- There is a shortage of family doctors and it’s especially tough for young people, racialized individuals or those from rural or underserved communities to access primary care.
- In Ontario, one study found that one in five people who visited the emergency department were there because they did not have access to primary care.
- Reliance on walk-in clinics has increased wait times. One survey calculated the average wait time at walk-in clinics across Canada in 2023 was 68 minutes.
Let’s talk solutions
What experts are saying:
- More funding. Help bring more family doctors to rural and remote areas, so that everyone has access to primary care no matter where they live.
- Reduce the paperwork so doctors can focus on patients, not filling out forms.
- Get more Canadians access to a family doctor. Even patients who have a family doctor often end up at a walk-in clinic because they can’t (or think they can’t) see their doctor in a timely manner. Family doctors need support expanding patient access through options like virtual care, after-hours availability and spreading awareness about urgent care options.
- Grow team-based care. These inter-professional teams help patients get continuous care and timely appointments while also helping physicians share their workload.
- Better data sharing. Make it easier for walk-in clinics to share information with family physicians so patients can still get continuity of care.
- Faster licensing of foreign-trained doctors would help to reduce the shortage of doctors in Canada.
Where’d we get our info?
- A national survey on the future of primary care
- Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information
- CMAJ
- CMA 2024 Health and Media Annual Tracking Survey
- A 2023 survey on wait times in Canadian walk-in clinics
- Recommendations for improvements from The College of Family Physicians of Canada
