In addition to the use of AI sources for medical assistance on the internet, there are many advertisements for telephone appointments with physicians. Such telephone encounters were initiated during the Covid pandemic and were partially covered by some provincial insurance plans, temporarily. Since that time, numerous such services are still available, but are uninsured under provincial benefits; charges are directed to the patient. Even physicians are now using AI in their practices to assist in recording details of office examinations, as well as helping to make decisions regarding investigation choices, possible diagnoses and treatment protocols. Doctors in Canada have for a long time complained that paperwork and administrative duties take up too much of their time. Now, physicians are using software programs to listen to patient discussions, automatically transcribe information from those discussions and produce clinical information from the encounter, as well as their examination findings for their records. Using this and other software in their practices allows for more direct care of patients and less time spent on paperwork. In hospitals, resident physicians and specialists are increasingly using AI in assisting with possible diagnosis of a set of symptoms and signs, an appropriate list of investigations to confirm the condition and treatment protocols once the diagnosis has been made. Using AI platforms for both patients and physicians must always be done in conjunction with traditional tools, wise judgment and trained health-care professionals. Internet platforms may misdirect an individual seeking medical information and advice and should only be used as a supplement to ‘hands on’ attention for medical care. When a diagnosis has been confirmed by your physician, having a thorough knowledge of your medical condition ‒ including appropriate investigation and treatments ‒ allows you to be well educated about the condition and the possible side-effects from treatment, making your subsequent medical encounters more useful. In spite of the deficiencies that have resulted in reduced access to timely medical care, improvements in many areas have gradually been seen. The development of medical teams ‒ including nurses, dietitians, social workers, physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals ‒ has increased the access to primary health care. Medical schools have increased their enrolment and many restrictions on foreign medical graduate entries have been lifted. More hospitals and hospital beds are being funded. There is also the promise that AI platforms will prove to be a useful asset to both patients and medical personnel in improving access to both medical information and care. Health CSANews | FALL 2026 | 35
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