A peek inside the bold new world of private healthcare
BY NANCY MILLER
For many, the inconvenience of hurried, all-too-brief doctor visits means more Canadians are exploring private options for their healthcare. To find out more about the bold new world of private care, we explored Vancouver’s Copeman Healthcare and got the inside scoop from one of their clients.
The clinic’s medical director and Family Physician, Dr. Beth Donaldson, was initially attracted to the team by the founder’s innovative ideas about preventative medicine.
“I felt frustrated in my previous experiences at other facilities,” says Dr. Donaldson. “Visits with patients were short and typically only covered one or two issues. When I heard about this new model for team-based healthcare that focused primarily on prevention, I said, ‘Sign me up!’ Getting to really know my patients and helping them stay healthy is why I became a GP in the first place.”
Copeman Healthcare is a primary care facility where patients are not only under the care of a dedicated family physician, but also have access to an entire team of medical professionals. By employing a collaborative approach that includes nutritional counselling, exercise medicine and in-depth diagnostics, as well as mental and cognitive health, care is highly personalized to each patient’s individual needs.
“We continually monitor our clinical outcomes, and our stats show that we are able to achieve excellent health outcomes,” Dr. Donaldson explains. “I think it simply comes down to collaboration and taking the time to thoroughly address patient issues through programs like LifePlus.”
Copeman’s flagship care plan, the LifePlus Program features all-inclusive, year-round medical care, including on-time, unhurried appointments with a dedicated team of healthcare providers.
Each new LifePlus client receives a health risk assessment, lab work, a thorough medical history and diagnostics testing. Clients meet with those professionals who form their team and who prepare their personalized health plan. Any immediate needs are addressed with internal referrals or through specialist referrals to care providers in the community.
40 year-old Director at Vancouverbased StoryTap, Nicola Fairweather joined Copeman 2 ½ years ago. Originally from the UK, she saw it as a way to obtain a more personalized approach to her healthcare – something she had been missing since leaving home.
“I didn’t have any key issues, but I missed having a real connection with my doctor,” she says. “I was so impressed with everyone I met. My nurse, Jill, and clinical coordinator, Christine, were extremely welcoming, and are always there to answer my questions. My doctor was amazing and wanted to know all about me – not just my medical history, but also my fears, my hobbies, my interests - everything. Everyone on my team is just so caring – it’s like a family.”
Fairweather also appreciates that appointments are easy to book and run on-time. She also likes the convenience of seeing her doctor, getting lab work done and even doing personal training all in the same Centre.
“You truly get the feeling that they’re invested in your future just as much as you are,” she says. “Honestly, I just want to thank them for their attention and support, and for always being there for me.”
“My doctor was amazing and wanted to know all about me – not just my medical history, but also my fears, my hobbies, my interests - everything. Everyone on my team is just so caring – it’s like a family.”