Don’t put off the treatment you need - learn about hybrid care

With the latest wave of the pandemic impacting Canadians from coast to coast, many Lifemark clinics across the country have to continued to offer a hybrid model of in-person and Virtual Care. If you’ve ever wondered about the benefits of hybrid care or if it is right for you, read on.

Why hybrid care?

The best way to illustrate the benefits of hybrid care would be to start with an example. Say you developed low back pain as the result of a recent injury. You’ve decided to book some time with a physiotherapist and they’ve scheduled you in for a virtual appointment to discuss your history.

You then head to the clinic for your next appointment for an in-person evaluation, where your clinician develops a customized treatment plan. Your clinician then books you in for a virtual appointment, so they follow up on your progress over the next while – and this works out for you, because you have other obligations that require you to stay home.

This is just one possible scenario, and your situation may vary, but it is one example of the flexibility and convenience that hybrid care provides.  

More flexibility and convenience

Having the flexibility of both virtual and in-person appointments means that you can progress through your treatment plan from home, which can save you time. It’s also dynamic, meaning that If you experience changes in your condition and require further in-clinic care, your physiotherapist can cancel a virtual appointment and reschedule it as an in-clinic appointment.

With hybrid care, you have more flexibility in terms of scheduling appointments, because it can reduce the need for you to leave work or home and commute to the clinic – which can come in handy during inclement weather, if you live far away, or if something came up a week from your appointment, and you’re no longer able to attend in-person.

Greater insight from and access to health professionals

Hybrid care provides an opportunity for your clinician to gain insight into your home environment. For instance, they will be able to take a look at your ergonomics and potentially make further suggestions to enhance your treatment.

If your clinician decides that your injury or condition can benefit from a multidisciplinary approach, the hybrid model allows for greater accessibility and cooperation with other health professionals, like an occupational therapist.

Hybrid care has proven to be an effective treatment model, with 92% of patients reporting an improvement in their symptoms.

Your clinician will help you decide if hybrid care is right for you. All of our virtual appointments use a secure, private, web-based platform. To learn more about how we are keeping you healthy, learn about our enhanced in-clinic measures.

For further guidance on hybrid care, or to schedule an appointment, check out our locations page to find a clinic near you or book online.