Virtual Care: Evidence From the Pandemic Regarding Changes in Access to Psychiatric Care in Canada

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted access to clinical services, prompting an easing of restrictions on accessing care virtually. While virtual care can substantially differ from in-person care in most specialties, this is minimally true of psychiatry, making it ideal for examining the impact of virtual delivery on access. This paper shows that those already facing access barriers faced new ones during the pandemic. The findings - based on Canadian Institute for Health Information data - highlight disparities in mental healthcare access for low-income individuals, children and adolescents, seniors and rural communities. Moreover, increased access for more patients came at the expense of fewer services per patient.