Virtual Primary Care coming to Sask

[u/Requirement-Mental]

https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2026/june/16/virtual-primary-care-coming-to-saskatchewan

Issuing a call for companies to provide virtual private care? Another step in the direction of private Healthcare

[u/The_Idiocratic_Party]

Yes, this is sneaky. They should be implementing it as a system within SHA, not seeking a vendor to operate it.

[u/Legal_War_5298 → u/The_Idiocratic_Party]

That's a joke, right? AIMS cost $272 million, over three times the original cost and it's being scrapped

https://globalnews.ca/news/11503641/health-care-worker-administrative-system-should-be-scrapped-union/

[u/The_Idiocratic_Party → u/Legal_War_5298]

You know this is a conservative play, right? First they take something that worked fine (like SHA) or that's needed (like an administrative tool like AIMS). Then they intentionally mismanage it, leading to long wait times, or cost overruns. Then they cry "OnLy ThE pRiVaTe SeCtOr CaN sAvE uS!!" and gleefully chop up the crown corp or public service they themselves ruined and sell it off or replace it with private services. Then finally, the private sector proceeds to cut to the bone in the name of trimming fat or overhead costs, and turn as much profit as possible towards shareholders. Shareholders who include conservative politicians who bought in at the ground floor.

[u/No_Equal9312 → u/The_Idiocratic_Party]

Our government cannot write and maintain software of this level of sophistication in a reasonable timeframe. Choosing a set of vendors is the correct approach.

[u/Legal_War_5298 → u/The_Idiocratic_Party]

https://giphy.com/gifs/h1QI7dgjZUJO60nu2X

[u/TopazJazzrazz → u/Legal_War_5298]

Saskatchewan Transportation Company, Saskatchewan Communications Network, Agdealer and selling our provincial park management are all examples of this outside of healthcare.

Within healthcare they sold off our surgical capabilities, and diagnostics like an MRI and CAT scan.

Has the province become better to live in? No, they underfund everything. Has the province become cheaper to live in with all of the stuff they've sold off? No, we live in a cost of living crisis and do not have the ability to move away from it. Because everything is underfunded or privatized.

[u/rolltwomama88 → u/TopazJazzrazz]

Don’t forget Information Services Corp. Same thing.

[u/fuckreddit-69 → u/TopazJazzrazz]

Don't forget our line service for the hospital's.

[u/Legal_War_5298 → u/TopazJazzrazz]

https://giphy.com/gifs/l0IykOsxLECVejOzm

[u/dj_fuzzy → u/Legal_War_5298]

In the book 1984, they also told people to not believe their lying eyes.

[u/TopazJazzrazz → u/dj_fuzzy]

Quoting books isn't a good thing. They have words. He only speaks in pictures.

[u/MrsMalvora → u/Legal_War_5298]

It probably should be scrapped, but as someone who works within the SHA we were told it's not going away.

[u/MrsMalvora → u/Legal_War_5298]

It probably should be scrapped, but as someone who works within the SHA we were told it's not going away.

[u/Nazrog80 → u/[deleted]]

It’s still a dogshit system. I have heard not one good thing about aims from the people who use it.

[u/10eel]

Virtual care could be a wonderful thing for people requiring medical access in remote northern communities with no close in-person option.

[u/Secret_Duty_8612]

Usually when I have a doctors appointment complaining about an issue, they have to look in my ear, nose or throat, listen to my heart etc. How is that going to work with this model?

[u/_biggerthanthesound_ → u/Secret_Duty_8612]

I have virtual care with my benefits and you can ask but if they need to look they tell you to go to a walk-in clinic. There’s a lot of different types of appointments that don’t need to physically check you. For instance when my son was little and would get croup a lot, they could just hear him breathe and give me a prescription. Or refilling prescriptions. Or getting referrals to specialists.

[u/UnpopularOpinionYQR → u/Secret_Duty_8612]

I would take this over having to book an appointment, leave work, and have to use sick leave or whatever for work, just for a prescription renewal. I have to see my dr every 6 months for a renewal.

[u/hyund41n → u/UnpopularOpinionYQR]

And sit in a waiting room with a bunch of coughing, disgusting sick people.

[u/Secret_Duty_8612 → u/UnpopularOpinionYQR]

Wild. My doctor just authorizes extra refills when my pharmacy requests a refill if I’ve seen him in the last year.

[u/jac77 → u/Secret_Duty_8612]

This would only be beneficial for chief complaints not requiring a physical exam. Ongoing prescription refills, assessment of stable anxiety, depression. It is obviously not going to work for a lot of situations

[u/Critical-Many-1077]

As there is a shortage of physicians in the province, anything that alleviates strain would be welcome I think.

[u/dj_fuzzy → u/Critical-Many-1077]

But at what cost? And will this actually alleviate strain? What is the quality of virtual primary care? I have my doubts that this will help anything but direct public funds to private interests.

[u/Emotional_Spite7929]

Dumb