‘Having Trouble Making Ends Meet?’ Here’s Why More Alberta Doctors Are Asking

"Did you have trouble making ends meet at the end of the month?"

It's a simple question, but a powerful one for doctors who want to truly understand their patients' health.

That's according to Brian Match, executive director of the Kalyna Country Primary Care Network, which serves a largely rural area east of Edmonton.

In 2019, doctors and nurses with the network started asking patients about their financial circumstances — and they learned a lot in the process, according to Match. For example, he said, think of a patient whose diabetes just isn't stabilizing over time.

"If you're only able to put food on the table one meal per day, that can really have an effect in regards to your diabetes," said Match.

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