“A stranger on Reddit was more effective at getting me proper care than Ontario’s referral system”

I’ve been dealing with mental health issues, chronic insomnia and abnormally high blood pressure since I was a teen. When I moved to Toronto from Thunder Bay in 2010 to pursue a marketing degree at Humber College, I didn’t prioritize my health—like many young people, I was focused on other things. Whenever I did go to a walk-in clinic at my school, doctors expressed concern at my blood pressure readings, but because they saw me only a couple of times, all they could really do was suggest I seek treatment.

By the time I was in my mid-20s, I knew I needed to take better care of myself. I signed up with the province’s program to be matched with a family doctor, but the process was slow. When I finally did hear back, about eight months later, the only available doctors were too far from where I lived downtown. Read more: Dispatches from Ontario’s broken health care system

By 2017, I was working at an advertising agency and travelling for photo and video shoots. My job stress exacerbated my anxiety, sleep issues, and ADHD symptoms such as irritability and disorganization. I found a doctor at a walk-in clinic on Queen West who recognized that I needed consistent care. She put me on a trial medication that helped, but she couldn’t prescribe the drug long-term because I’d need blood-pressure monitoring, which she couldn’t provide as a walk-in doctor. So she referred me to a psychiatrist for talk therapy and help managing my medication. It was the first time I’d had consistent care since moving to Toronto about eight years earlier.

However, the psychiatrist couldn’t address my blood pressure or other physical issues. In 2019, Health Care Connect finally matched me with a family doctor in the Junction, close to where I lived. We began trying different medications. Unfortunately, just as we were getting positive results, he moved to Scarborough. The Junction clinic wouldn’t keep me on with another doctor, so I had no choice but to return to Health Care Connect. While I waited, I had to find walk-in clinics to renew my prescriptions, which required a lot of searching. Some doctors were hesitant because of their lack of familiarity with my medical history and because they couldn’t monitor my blood pressure long-term.

All these difficulties were compounded by the pandemic. Eventually, I stopped treating my conditions, unsure if I should continue taking my medications and unable to find anyone to guide me. In early 2023, Health Care Connect contacted me about a family doctor in Etobicoke who was looking for new patients. She was young, thorough and compassionate, and she took the time to address the root causes of my mental health challenges. I felt supported and reassured, especially because my psychiatrist had recently retired.

However, as time went on, issues with my family doctor’s clinic began to surface. Referrals and lab requests fell through the cracks, and getting prescription refills became an ordeal. That stressed me out because I need to take my medication on time. The clinic was clearly overwhelmed, and my doctor was struggling to keep up with her workload. This past January, she abruptly announced that she was leaving the clinic. I was disappointed—despite the problems with follow-ups, she was the best doctor I’d ever had.

I didn’t want to go through Health Care Connect again, but I felt like it was my only option other than calling random clinics to see about openings and hoping to get lucky. Then, in February, I saw a post on Reddit about the lack of family doctors in Toronto. I commented about my experiences and someone messaged me about a family doctor accepting new patients in Little Italy. I called the clinic and was immediately taken on. While our consultations are brief, my new doctor is thorough and listens to my concerns. It’s astounding that a stranger on Reddit was more effective at getting me proper care than the province’s referral system.

Dealing with the gaps in primary care, especially when you are a patient with chronic conditions that require consistent monitoring, is incredibly frustrating. Health care providers are understandably busy, but I’m concerned by the extent to which patients need to campaign for their own treatment. Taking the initiative repeatedly over the past 14 years has been exhausting—and sustaining those efforts even more so. But I feel incredibly grateful to have found a new doctor who is available and invested. As difficult as it’s been, I know I’m privileged to have the time and flexibility to advocate for myself and get results.