The current health care model often falls short for both patients and the physicians. Patients want to be active members of their health care journey, but lack the support to make informed decisions on their health; it is not uncommon for patients to leave appointments with more questions than answers. Perceived power imbalances from physical cues in physicians' offices can prevent patients from feeling empowered to ask questions while the use of electronic medical records (EMRs) during patient appointments frequently leaves patients feeling unheard by distracted physicians.

      Simultaneously, physicians are facing high rates of burnout from the burden of high administrative workloads. For every hour physicians spend with a patient, they may spend up to 2 hours completing administrative tasks; however, this patient:admin work ratio may be worse for physicians practicing in rural communities. 75% of physicians say that administrative work is an impediment to delivering the patient care they desire. Evidently, something needs to change.

      The Patient Centered Care Project was designed to put patients in the center of the health-care journeys while relieving the administrative burden from physicians so that they can do what they got into health care for: caring for their patients. Patients are invited to be equal partners in the decision making of their health care, medical office assistants provide support for both the physician and the patient, and technology improves transparency between physicians and patients, while streamlining work flows to nearly eliminate administrative work after the patient leaves. By including people and resources already available to most clinics, the Patient Centered Care Project provides a sustainable way to make meaningful changes in the way health care is delivered, for both physicians and patients.

In launching our initiative, we’ve embarked on a mission not just to lift the weight of administrative tasks from the shoulders of Canada’s physicians but to restore the heart of healthcare — uninterrupted, high-quality, compassionate patient care. This project is a promise to every patient that their well-being is our utmost priority
- Dr. Laurie Main