New Brunswick — The wait time to land a family doctor in this province is longer than the average New Brunswicker’s lifespan. In other words, if you weren’t born with a doctor, you’re probably never going to get one.
eVisitNB by Maple — the online service that helped physician-less people receive medical attention over text or video — will cease to exist at the end of this month.
“But we’re not leaving you hanging,” said Maple administrator Bernice Pollock. “We’re helping to put a system in place where New Brunswickers without family doctors can support each other by posting pictures and descriptions of their conditions or ailments and asking others to weigh in.
“Well, it’s less of a ‘system’ and more of a subreddit. But still. It’s better than nothing.”
New Brunswickers with health concerns will not even require a Medicare card to sign in and post or comment anonymously.
Reddit moderator Greg Quinn said he’s excited to assist in medical discussions of all kinds.
“At r/NBPeerMedicalOpinions, although we’re not doctors, we’re all in the same boat of not having access to a primary care physician. And none of us really want to waste two days at the ER, or try to get a pharmacist or nurse practitioner to see us, when they can’t offer much help.
“The good news is, with the advent of A.I., anyone can sort of be a doctor. Who’s to say that your friend from two houses down the street or some guy up in Caraquet can’t tell you what’s wrong?”
Kelsey Cuffman, another of the thousands of New Brunswickers without a doctor, said she’s had a mysterious rash for weeks, and hasn’t been able to get it diagnosed or treated.
“I took a few pictures and I’ll let Reddit figure it out,” she said. “Who knows — maybe someone on there has had the same thing and I can meet up with them to buy their leftover prescription ointment or pills.”