In This Issue:

Opinion Piece: Should You Be Paying for Healthcare? (Part II) [5 min]
What Is Relational Medicine? [~1.5 min]
Quote Of The Issue [10 sec]

Should You Be Paying for Healthcare?

Canadians take pride in their universal healthcare system. Free doctor’s visits, lab tests, and imaging are hallmarks of a public system designed to be accessible to all. Even services covered by extended health insurance are seen as “free.”

A recent Leger survey found that 70% of Canadians believe the government should prioritize public healthcare and reduce private care. In fact, despite recent shifts in economic policies and global trade relationships, there is an increasing appetite for maintaining a publicly funded system.

There is a deep-seated belief that healthcare should be a universal right, not a privilege. But because we’ve never clearly defined what that care should include, we’re now witnessing the growing cracks in a system struggling to keep up with demand.

As of early 2024, 2.5 million Ontarians—about 29% of the population—are without a family doctor. By the end of 2026, that number is projected to rise to 4.4 million, meaning nearly half of Ontarians will lack access to a primary care provider.

It’s not the doctors’ fault—they are human too, doing their best within a system that is failing them. With less time for each patient and overburdened by administrative demands and time constraints, there is less testing, less assessment, and fewer opportunities to truly understand an individual’s health story and change the trajectory of a patient’s health.. They are being forced to deliver fragmented care, leaving both themselves and their patients disheartened.

The Result?

Patients are left frustrated at best, and scared at worst. They leave appointments with prescriptions but without explanations. They face chronic conditions with unanswered questions. They are shuffled through a system that often makes them feel unseen and unheard.

And now, with the rise of AI-driven health tools, there’s a new competitor in healthcare: free, fast information from technology. Patients can ask ChatGPT for medical advice. They can upload lab results to AI platforms and receive instant interpretations. They can scour the internet for symptom checkers and supplement recommendations—often finding more confusion than clarity.

So, why would anyone invest their hard-earned dollars in naturopathic care?

Because, in the words of my colleague Dr. Tara Gingac ND, patients have problems that “free” can’t solve. Or perhaps "free" can solve them with information—but patients are seeking something beyond facts.

Naturopathic Doctors don’t just provide answers; they provide presence.
They don’t just offer solutions; they offer connection.
In an increasingly transactional healthcare system, NDs offer relational medicine*.

We take the time to connect the dots between lived experiences and the development of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, depression, anxiety, ADHD, autoimmune conditions, and cancer.

We offer humanity. We see our patients. We hear them. We value them.
We don’t just solve problems—we strive to be of service at the highest level.

Our public healthcare system doesn’t have the capacity to provide this level of care.
Robots can’t replicate it.
But we can.

So, as you reflect on your own health, ask yourself:
👉 What kind of care do you truly want for yourself?
👉 Are you seeking just another answer—or are you ready for a deeper level of support, connection, and transformation?

What Is Relational Medicine?

Relational medicine is not defined by a specific modality but by the depth of presence, connection, and understanding between practitioner and patient. It recognizes that true healing happens not just through protocols and treatments but through being deeply seen, heard, and valued as a whole person. In a world where healthcare is becoming increasingly transactional, relational medicine restores the human element—where the relationship itself becomes a catalyst for transformation.

Relational medicine isn’t just the future of medicine—it’s the missing piece that healthcare is being called back to. As technology and efficiency continue to drive clinical care, the human connection is becoming the rarest and most valuable form of healing. The future of medicine will belong to those who recognize that while data and diagnostics inform, it is relationship and presence that transform.

Quote Of the Issue

“Medicine is not only a science; it is also the art of listening, of being present, and of walking with another human being through their suffering.” - Unknown

As always, Yours In health,