[From the Vault] 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 learn from the Dutch approach. If you missed Part 1,  Part 2 or Part 3, click to catch up.  See a gallery of Dr. Kiran’s photos from her trip to the Netherlands. Hear Dr. Kiran speaking about her trip on CBC’s White Coat, Black Art Read Dr. Kiran’s 4-part series for the Medical Post on her trip Subscribe to our Substack newsletter to get bonus content. Take the OurCare national survey to share your experiences with primary care. **Mainpro+ Credits** Family doctors in Canada can now earn Mainpro+ credits by listening to Primary Focus Podcast episodes published after May 1, 2026.  This self-learning Group Learning program has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Ontario Chapter for up to 30 Mainpro+ credits, with 1 credit available per eligible episode. To claim your credit, listen to the episode, review the show notes and complete the self-learning survey. Your certificate will be emailed to you. Find more information at OurCare.ca/podcast  Do you have an idea for an episode? Email [primary.focus@unityhealth.to](mailto:primary.focus@unityhealth.to) Dr. Tara Kiran is a family physician and researcher who is passionate about building a stronger, more equitable primary care system in Canada. She practices at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto where she is also a scientist at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions. In 2022, Dr. Kiran launched OurCare, a national initiative to engage the public in shaping the future of primary care in Canada. You can learn more about Dr. Kiran’s research here: https://maphealth.ca/kiran/  Primary Focus is supported by a grant from the St. Michael’s Foundation. Dr. Tara Kiran is supported as the Fidani Chair in Improvement and Innovation at the University of Toronto and a Scientist in the Departments of Family and Community Medicine at St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit primaryfocus.substack.com