Finding the right healthcare provider that’s part of a good team is a challenge that’s facing patients across Canada; especially with the difficulties facing many under-staffed, over-worked walk-in clinics and emergency rooms.
There’s another way to get the medical services you need to maintain or improve your health, and you can do it while choosing a Canadian-owned healthcare provider to support you throughout your journey to better health.
By the time you’re done with this page, you’ll understand some of the many benefits of choosing a Canadian healthcare company, and how the team at Felix can help you take back control of your health and quality of life.
**It’s important to note that Felix does not provide emergency services. If you believe you’re having a medical emergency, you should immediately call 9-1-1, or go to your nearest emergency room to seek help**
What does it mean to work with a Canadian-owned healthcare provider?
Working with a Canadian healthcare provider means you get the benefits of working within government-supported services, being able to access globally respected healthcare practitioners, and most importantly, healthcare partners in Canada use a customer-centric approach to treatment.
Perhaps the biggest benefit of using a Canadian healthcare company is that you’re much less likely to be seen as just a number in a database, and much more likely to receive the kind of personalized, custom-tailored care that you need to get the best results for your health.
Why does Canadian ownership matter in healthcare partnerships?
Canadian healthcare companies don’t see health services the same way that some other countries do. While Felix does provide specialized care, we operate within the Canadian method of price transparency and accessibility.
Unlike in US-based platforms that often charge for ‘premium’ access. For instance, a broken arm can range from $300-$1,000 for a simple cast and x-ray, to $20,000-$150,000+ if you require surgery for more complicated breaks.
Of course, you can’t control where something like a broken arm will happen, but when it comes to choosing support for your planned healthcare needs, companies in Canada can provide you the same types of support.
What are the benefits of working with a Canadian healthcare provider?
There are a few specific options that we can discuss within the benefits of using a Canadian healthcare company, which we haven’t talked about yet, such as:
- Easier ability to provide direct billing for your insurance coverage (when available)*
- Reduced or free shipping options for treatment deliveries (when available)*
- Fast, reliable telemedicine support in Canada that you can access from home (when available)*
- Licensed healthcare practitioners working within Canadian compliance regulations*
*Felix provides all these services – and more!*
How does Canadian ownership impact data privacy and compliance?
When you’re dealing with healthcare or telehealth companies outside Canada, they may have certain compliance regulations they have to follow (i.e., HIPAA in the US). However, when consulting telemedicine companies overseas, Canadian healthcare regulations may not be enforced.
This means things like your personal privacy data, or compliance with treatment oversight regulations, could be at risk of being affected. Facing a loss of personal health data can feel like an enormous violation, but thankfully, the risk of harm can be mitigated by sticking to Canadian-owned healthcare companies.
Felix follows regulations laid out by provincial health privacy laws HIA, and PHIPA health privacy laws, as well as those laid out by PIPEDA, which is more stringent regarding explicit consent than HIPAA.
We do store data outside of Canada through third-party companies, but we are committed to remaining compliant with Canadian data privacy laws, even for data being stored outside of Canada.
How does local knowledge improve healthcare treatment and operations?
Local expertise in healthcare can make an enormous difference in the quality of your care. Healthcare practitioners that know what facilities are around, the type of conditions in your region (i.e., weather, environmental, and even socio-political) can help them better understand issues you may be facing in regards to both physical and mental health.
Together, this works to the advantage of both local healthcare providers and patients alike. Alongside other local resources that you may be able to access to assist you with helping you find the right treatments or operations, this knowledge can be what you need to truly take back control of your health.
What are the potential risks of working with a non-Canadian healthcare provider?
Let’s go over some of the specific risks that you could face, if you choose to use a non-Canadian healthcare provider:
- Cross border data privacy issues
- Compliance with Canadian healthcare regulations
- Increased costs and timing for cross-border shipping on treatments
- Paying extra costs for cost-conversion (i.e., USD to CAD)
- Time-zone differences when trying to connect with your provider
These are only some of the issues you could face if you choose to deal with non-Canadian healthcare or telemedicine companies. Alternatively, you could get an online longevity assessment through Felix, and reduce the opportunity for these issues to happen.
Is a Canadian-owned healthcare provider the better long-term choice?
Absolutely, it is.
Consistency and stability are the key to success when it comes to long-term health management. We don’t involve ourselves in political discussions, but this doesn’t mean that global economic shifts and changing relationships with foreign countries can’t impact healthcare.
By sticking with a healthcare partner in Canada, you can avoid changes in geopolitical situations affecting your ability to quickly and easily access a healthcare practitioner when you need them.
Considering a change? What to look for in a Canadian healthcare partner
There are a few things that you can look for in telehealth and healthcare companies in Canada, which will help make sure that you get the reliable support and guidance that you’re looking for, including:
- Easily accessible health assessments that can be done from home or on-the-go
- Fast response time to assessment requests
- An app to explore all of your local healthcare advantages your provider offers
- Free discreet home delivery for online treatments
- Automatically arrangeable assessment follow-ups and prescription refills
- Direct billing to for your private insurance coverage
- Friendly, knowledgeable healthcare practitioners with patient-first mindsets
Felix does all these things for our patients across Canada, and if you’d like to explore all our services, we’d invite you to download our Meet the Felix app on either Google or Apple stores.
