CALGARY — As Canadians struggle to access timely healthcare, a growing number are turning to virtual “dial-a-doctor” services for quick, convenient care.Over the course of this investigation, I found how easily these platforms can be exploited with little to no effort and how you can attain highly addictive drugs without expressing any serious medical issues..In my first call with one of these online physicians, I simply stated that stress from work had caused me headaches and I was losing sleep. I was asked if this stress was causing depression, suicidal tendencies, or any other serious issues, to which I answered it was not.The doctor continually asked if this stress was causing me any other medical issues, anything more serious than just headaches and stress. At this point I was actually thinking I may be rebuffed and the whole crux of this story would be redundant.Despite my continued denial of any real medical issue, the doctor said that if I sent them a $55 e-transfer, I would be able to get a note saying I would be unable to come into work due to a "medical condition."This on its own is cause for concern; the ability to get two weeks off work without ever having seen a doctor over video call, let alone in person, is not exactly honest, but the next "appointment" I had unfurled even bigger red flags..In this call I wanted to push the envelope a bit further and see just how much I could get out of these online doctors.If I could get a sick note that easily, maybe I could get some pills?During the appointment I made sure that I never outright asked for pills, making the doctor the one to suggest sedatives.I must stress that during both of these appointments I intentionally did not try very hard or ever express any medical condition more serious than lost sleep or headaches. I say all this to give perspective on just how easy it would be to abuse these systems.During this second appointment I ran through my previous "symptoms," stress due to work, headaches, lost sleep, etc. However, this time I focused a bit more on the lost sleep part, saying I had been using melatonin to help me sleep, but it wasn't working well for me."We don't usually prescribe sleeping pills, but are you interested in having those?," the over-the-phone doctor then proposed.Bingo.I dutifully replied that I would like some sleeping pills; she obliged and then also offered me a sort of pay-per-week sick note."For one week, we can give it for $35; for two weeks it's $60; for one month it's $90," the doctor said, revealing a bizarre tiered payment system for sick notes.After sending yet another e-transfer, this time for $60, I got another two-week sick note and picked up my pills, a dosage of the highly addictive z-drug zopiclone, at my local pharmacy later that evening..The ease at which I was able to obtain sick notes and sleeping pills is a worrying sign for the Canadian medical community, according to University of Calgary associate professor Dr. Monty Ghosh, who specializes in addiction."That is definitely a concern," Dr. Ghosh said when I told him about the results of my investigation."It might be worthwhile for Health Canada and other groups... in terms of figuring out regulations around this service sector," Dr. Ghosh said, "we would need to sit down as a regulatory body, either with Health Canada or as physicians within the Canadian Medical Association, to create some kind of regulations around this to make sure people are not misusing this."He talked about how these online appointment services are still a "grey zone" in relation to regulations and how he would like to see Health Canada step in to better control this burgeoning industry.Dr. Ghosh also discussed the danger that z-drugs, like the zopiclone I was prescribed, can have on those who aren't using them correctly."Zopiclone itself can be very addictive; it works in the same part of the brain as alcohol does," Dr. Ghosh said, adding that "it can also cause death if you overdose on it. You can take a whole bottle of zopiclone pills and drink some alcohol, and you can run yourself into a very serious problem.""You have to be incredibly careful with these medications, so the fact that you were just prescribed them without any sort of background information can be concerning; I wish they weren't doing that.".This insight into this industry should showcase to the regulatory bodies responsible that more scrutiny must be put on these "dial-a-doc" services.Abuse may not be widespread yet, but without proper rules and regulations this developing industry could easily become somewhere that those suffering from addiction may turn for their next fix.There is a place for these kinds of services that offer quick and efficient healthcare in a country where hospital wait times continue to soar, but there must be safeguards implemented so that the system doesn't facilitate abuse.
