AFHTO learned in fall 2021 that only people with a valid Ontario driver’s license could renew their OHIP card online. Most people who could not drive needed to go in-person to a ServiceOntario office. 

This was particularly concerning as many people without a license are not in this position by choice. A disability that prevents some people from driving can make in-person renewal difficult at any time. And in a pandemic, going to crowded ServiceOntario offices exposes people to even further risk. 

According to research published in in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ November 08, 2021 193 (44)), most family physicians now report that they engage in some degree of social intervention in the management of patients. However, outside of community health centres, social interventions are still not a routine part of primary care practice and are not yet considered “standard of care.”

To read more, visit: Implementing social interventions in primary care (CMAJ)