Virtual care is here to stay, but major challenges remain: CMAJ

Before the pandemic, Vancouver resident Sarah Hornstein didn't like the idea of virtual health care. Newly diagnosed with asthma shortly before the shutdown, she worried that virtual care would be "more about efficiency" than quality. "It's hard enough to get a doctor's time," Hornstein says. But after several virtual care visits, Hornstein says she was "surprised by how well it's working." She appreciated that she could go about her day until her doctor called, instead of waiting around if other appointments ran late. And the providers she spoke with answered all her questions, with one appointment lasting half an hour. Although Hornstein says she would still opt for in-person visits "most of the time," she now prefers phone appointments for exchanging information.