Primary Focus with Dr. Tara Kiran

Patients, politicians and clinicians agree: it’s high time to fix primary care in Canada. But, what could a stronger, more inclusive, more efficient public system look like? In this smart, engaging podcast, family doc and researcher Dr. Tara Kiran brings together the voices of frontline healthcare workers, patients, researchers and policymakers from around the world to unpack the issues and innovations that could—and should—transform primary care in Canada. With a focus on actionable insights and real-world solutions, episodes will take you behind the scenes to understand how different health systems and clinics are solving access problems, stretching healthcare dollars and ensuring quality care for all. At the heart of each conversation is a shared commitment to a better public healthcare system—one that not only serves every person in Canada, but leads the world.

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Last refreshed: August 19th, 2025 at 5:59 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

A historic win for primary care in Ontario with Peter MacLeod

In this special episode, host Dr. Tara Kiran reflects on the passage of Ontario’s new Primary Care Act—the first legislation of its kind in Canada. Joined by Peter MacLeod , founder of MASS LBP and co-lead of the OurCare initiative, Tara and Peter take you behind the scenes of a national public dialogue that helped shape the new law. Nearly 10,000 Canadians participated in the OurCare process and what they said they wanted from the primary care system is now reflected in Ontario’s legislation. T...

Jul 04, 2025•44 min

In the Netherlands: who’s accountable for access?

How do you design a system that delivers timely primary care — not by chance, but by design? In this final episode in the Netherlands, Tara visits a health insurance company and reflects with her travel companion, Rosemary Hannam on what stood out from their trip to the Netherlands. They discuss how features like standardized GP contracts, clear access guarantees, strong physician leadership and a customer-orientation help keep primary care timely and organized — and consider what Canada can lea...

Jun 19, 2025•48 min

In the Netherlands: after-hours care that works

Emergency departments in Canada are overcrowded — but what if they didn’t have to be? In Part Three of her audio documentary series from the Netherlands, Dr. Tara Kiran takes listeners behind the scenes at two Dutch after-hours clinics: one in the university town of Nijmegen, and another in bustling Amsterdam. She follows Dr. Tim Olde Hartman into a modern after-hours centre that serves over 400,000 people — and learns how Dutch GPs came together to fix a broken model. Rather than being on call ...

Jun 05, 2025•44 min•Ep. 5

In the Netherlands: a day in a GP practice (Part 2)

Why are Dutch GPs called “huisarts” — house doctors? In Part Two of her visit to a Nijmegen clinic, Dr. Tara Kiran talks with Dr. Suzanne Ligthart about the Dutch tradition of home visits. She then meets Kris Arts, a practice assistant, and learns how these highly trained team members serve as the doctor’s right hand — expertly triaging patients, coordinating follow-up, and keeping the clinic running smoothly. Dr. Kiran ends the episode with reflections on what Canada might learn from the Dutch ...

May 22, 2025•31 min

In the Netherlands: a day in a GP practice (Part 1)

How is it that 99% of people in the Netherlands have access to primary care? How can Dutch doctors look after large numbers of patients while still providing primary care? Those are some of the questions Dr. Kiran is set on answering when she visits the Netherlands to learn more about their primary care system. In the first of this four part series, Dr. Kiran brings you with her as she visits a GP practice in Nijmegen. She shadows Dr. Tim Olde Hartmen and Dr. Suzanne Ligthart to understand a typ...

May 15, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Why Primary Care Should Work Like Public Schools with Dr. Rita McCracken

What if getting a family doctor was as simple as enrolling your child in your local public school? Dr. Rita McCracken joins Dr. Tara Kiran to explore what primary care can learn from public education. They unpack why healthcare access should be treated as a right, the structural barriers that keep primary care fragmented, and how shifting responsibility from individual doctors to community-based teams could ensure equitable, reliable care for all. Plus, Dr. McCracken shares insights from her lan...

May 08, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Culturally Inclusive Care for Indigenous People with Dr. Mandy Buss

Join Dr. Tara Kiran as she learns about how the Northern Connections Medical Centre in Winnipeg is revolutionizing primary care for Indigenous communities. Dr. Kiran tours the facility and interviews Dr. Mandy Buss , who highlights the clinic’s culturally inclusive and trauma-informed practices, and the critical need for increased Indigenous representation in the medical field. Through real-life stories and discussions on systemic racism and historical barriers, this episode examines how a patie...

May 01, 2025•43 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Why millions of Canadians are still waiting for a doctor with Dr. Danielle Martin

Join Dr. Tara Kiran as she explores just how bad the primary care crisis is in Canada and the history of exactly how we got here. To do that, she phones her friend (and boss), Dr. Danielle Martin , to dissect the foundational elements of Canada's healthcare system, discuss why the system is grappling with significant gaps, and to ask the thorny question of where accountability lies, and who exactly should bear the responsibility for the system’s shortcomings. Tara and Danielle also reflect on th...

Apr 24, 2025•37 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Introducing “Primary Focus” with Dr. Tara Kiran

Why do 6.5 million people in Canada lack a family doctor or access to primary care—and what can be done about it? In this podcast, Dr. Tara Kiran unpacks the root causes of Canada’s primary care crisis and, more importantly, explores solutions. The podcast is centred on the OurCare Standard —six simple statements that define what every person in Canada should expect from the primary care system: 1. Everyone has a relationship with a primary care clinician who works with other health professional...

Feb 14, 2025•5 min

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