Canada has a universal free medical service. Every Canadian, regardless of whether you are a citizen or a permanent resident, is entitled to a photo medical card, known as a Health Card, which covers doctor's services, hospital services, and dental and surgical procedures during hospitalization. However, out-of-hospital medication, dental care, eye care, massage, chiropractic care, etc. are not covered by public **** medical care, and this can only be reimbursed through private health insurance. Here, for reference, is an introduction to medical services in Canada.
Canada's healthcare services are categorized into two levels: primary healthcare and secondary healthcare.Primary Health Care Family clinics and community clinics (GPs for short) are the foundation of the primary health care system. Most Family Doctors (FDs) practice independently and have knowledge of general medicine; some FDs work in community health centers, hospitals, primary care or hospital-affiliated outpatient clinics (General Practitioner).
Secondary Care Specialists provide diagnosis and treatment of specialized diseases. Often, family doctors decide whether to treat their own patients or to refer them to a specialist, depending on the patient's condition, and in practice most specialists only see patients referred to them by their family doctors. In general, family doctors will only refer patients to specialists for further treatment if the patient's condition cannot be diagnosed and treated by primary medical care. Without a referral from a primary care professional, patients do not have direct access to a specialist.
How do I see a doctor in Canada?Medical care in Canada is expensive, so international students need to have health insurance. In some schools, student health insurance is a combination of different types of insurance, some of which are included in the tuition fee, and some of which require students to apply for separately (e.g., the type of insurance that residents of the province in which the school is located are required to purchase). Therefore, when you arrive at the school, check at the Student Services Center to see if insurance is included in your tuition. The types of insurance purchased by international students, the costs, and how to utilize the insurance when going to the doctor are not exactly the same at each school, so you can check the official website of the school or the relevant department of the school, or talk to local international students. For more information on medical insurance for international students, please check Medical Care for International Students in Canada.
International students who have purchased health insurance are required to use their insurance card to seek medical treatment in case of illness. In Canada, the way to see a doctor is different from China. Patients in different stages of illness receive different services:
1. Appointments are generally required to see a doctor in Canada, unless the patient's condition is urgent to receive emergency assistance directly from the hospital. In general, if you feel unwell, you should first visit your family doctor for help. If you are insured by your university, you should first visit your university's medical clinic if you are unwell. Appointments are often a month, or even two or three months away, so it is necessary to bring some common medicines for colds and fevers before you go to study in Canada. If you require specialized medical treatment (e.g., an allergist), your family doctor will recommend other specialists and make an appointment for you.
During your visit to the doctor:
Describe your condition in detail to the doctor. Make sure the doctor knows about your condition before he sees the next patient.
Ask your doctor questions. Often patients will ask their doctor questions or seek different opinions from other doctors.
Your health records are confidential. No one else has the right to see your medical documents without your permission, including your family, teachers, classmates, and school administration.
Medicines. In Canada, some milder medications can be purchased at a pharmacy. However, if the need is greater or for certain specialized medications, they must be purchased at a pharmacy with a doctor's prescription. Canada's National Health Insurance (NHI) pays for medicines: emergency and hospitalization medicines are fully covered by NHI; and medicines for general patients are either self-funded or paid for by their supplemental private insurance (e.g., drug insurance).
2. If you don't have a family doctor or a school clinic, you can go directly to a clinic. Clinics are generally open longer than hospitals, and you don't need an appointment to go to a clinic. These clinics are a good place to go when you feel sick but don't need to go to the emergency room. Clinic information can be found in the yellow pages of the phone book, in the section called "Clinics" or "Physicians", and you can choose a clinic near you.
3. If your condition is urgent, go to the nearest hospital immediately. It's worth noting that even in an emergency, if it's not life-threatening, the wait can be hours. In the emergency room, nurses usually decide who will be prioritized for treatment based on the patient's condition. In case of emergencies and accidents such as fire and emergency, you can call 911.
Special tips:
1. Carry your insurance card with you.
2. Free medical services within the insurance liability can only be enjoyed after purchasing the insurance.
3. If you have purchased other insurance, you should contact your insurance company as soon as possible after the accident to inform them of the situation.
Dental treatment.In Canada, the government's free health care program usually only covers dental services in hospitals. All other types of dental treatment are not free and are more expensive. However, there are exceptions, such as the British Columbia Health Care Card (MSP), there is a program called Healthy Kids Program (Healthy Kids Program) is for families with annual incomes of less than $20,000 for children under 19 years of age, the government will pay for them to visit the dentist at an annual cost not exceeding $700, including scaling, fillings, extractions, and other basic dental treatments. In addition, adults who are currently unemployed and applying for welfare benefits are also given some care by the government.
As soon as possible after enrollment, international students should check the school's website to see if the extended health insurance is included in the fees they have paid. Extended medical insurance is mainly for medical expenses that are not covered by government medical insurance. For example, prescription medication, dental, physiotherapist, chiropractor, and so on. Some provinces offer extended health insurance for students, such as Columbia University in British Columbia's AMS/GSS Health & Dental Plan, which supplements coverage for dental, prescription drugs, and counselling not covered by government health care.
Dental clinics can be found in the English Yellow Pages, Chinese Yellow Pages, newspapers, and various guidebooks or through referrals. You need to make an appointment in advance to visit the clinic, and if you need to change your appointment, you need to notify the clinic 24 hours in advance.