Why do doctors still use fax machines?

In the 1980s, fax machines were as big as shoulder pads. But the rise of digital technologies has made faxing nearly obsolete — except in doctors’ offices. In Ontario alone, health providers send an estimated 152 million faxes every year!

Why hasn’t health care made the switch?

• It’s what the system knows and trusts: Faxes have been a secure means of communication to share confidential health information for decades. However, they can still have privacy breaches. In 2021, there were nearly 5,000 breaches reported in Ontario because faxes were sent to the wrong number.
• Digital systems don’t talk to each other: 78% of doctors say they can’t exchange patient clinical summaries with doctors outside their own practice. Hospitals, labs and pharmacies may also use different systems for electronic medical records (EMRs).

How does this impact health care providers?

• It drowns doctors and other health care workers in paperwork: In New Brunswick, more than one-third of physicians still rely on paper records. Nearly 90% of doctors in Ontario say they have to use faxes to share patient information with other health care providers — almost 50% estimate they’d save more than six hours per week if health record systems were linked.
• It fuels burnout: 75% across Canada of doctors say unnecessary administration burden negatively affects job satisfaction; 60% say it directly contributes to the deterioration of their mental health.

How does this impact patients?

• It wastes time and contributes to wait times: Across Canada, the time doctors spend on unnecessary administration every year is equivalent to 55.6 million patient visits.
• Patients can’t access their own records: With the reliance on outdated technology, only 27% of Canadians say they can access their own electronic health records.
• Care suffers: Three-quarters of doctors say their administrative workload is a barrier to patient care.