Is Denmark the Blueprint for Fixing Canada’s Healthcare System? — with ER Physician Dr. Brian Goldman

What does the emergency room reveal about the future of care in Canada?

In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri Hart sits down with Dr. Brian Goldman, emergency physician, author, and longtime healthcare advocate, to talk about what Canada’s overwhelmed ERs are telling us about the deeper cracks in our healthcare system.

Drawing from his book The Casino Shift, Dr. Goldman explains how hospital overcrowding, long-term care waitlists, primary care shortages, and a lack of home care support are all connected. For caregivers, those cracks are not abstract. They show up when an aging parent waits for hours in an emergency room, when a loved one with dementia has nowhere to go, when a small-town hospital is forced to close, or when family members are sent home expected to manage medical tasks they were never trained to do.

Teri and Dr. Goldman also explore what Canada could learn from countries like Denmark, where nearly everyone has access to a family doctor and after-hours care is built into the system. They talk about the risks and realities of private healthcare, why small community hospitals matter so much, how technology and AI may change medicine, and why empathy still has a critical role in healthcare.

This conversation is for caregivers, healthcare workers, families with aging loved ones, and anyone worried about the future of healthcare in Canada. It is a clear-eyed look at a system under pressure, but also a reminder that better care is possible if we are willing to rethink how the system works.

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Resources:

Read Dr. Brian Goldman's new book, "The Casino Shift": https://www.indigo.ca/products/the-casino-shift https://www.amazon.ca/Casino-Shift-Stories-ER-Edge/dp/1443473588

Follow Dr. Brian Goldman: X/Twitter: https://x.com/NightShiftMD Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/casinoshiftmd.bsky.social

To watch this episode, subscribe to The Hart Of It All's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHartofitAllPod

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Co-Executive Produced by: Carrie Hayden & Jess Carroll of 6of1 Digital Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6of1digital Website: https://www.6of1digital.com/

I’m here to share stories and conversations, not medical or professional advice. I’m not a doctor, therapist, or licensed professional, and this podcast is NOT a substitute for guidance from qualified experts. Please seek out professional support when you need it. Take care and I’ll see you in the next episode.

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🟡 About The Hart of it All

A podcast about navigating the realities of caregiving.

No one should have to do it alone. That’s the heart behind The Hart of It All, hosted by Canadian broadcaster Teri Hart. Inspired by her own experience caring for her dad and helping her mom navigate a new reality, Teri shines a light on the stories, resources, and conversations caregivers need most.

From doctors and nutritionists to fellow caregivers living it every day, each episode offers guidance and connection. Honest, supportive, and grounded in lived experience, The Hart of It All is here to remind us that caring for each other is something we’re all in together.

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