Built by a practising family physician
The story behind JOBA
On one of my many long shifts as a family physician, I might see dozens of patients, each bringing something different. A minor cold, a complicated history of cancer and amputation, fertility concerns, medication reviews, or someone struggling with their mental health. In between all of this, there would invariably be paperwork.
Sometimes it was an AISH application. Other times, a Disability Tax Credit form or an insurance disability assessment. These were important documents, often tied to financial support that patients genuinely needed. They were also time-consuming, uninsured services that patients were often willing to pay for.
But after a long day of seeing patients, making clinical decisions and documenting everything appropriately, there was only so much mental bandwidth left. The forms would sit in a pile, waiting for a day when I was less tired. And then came the inevitable calls about approaching deadlines.
I found it increasingly frustrating. Not because the forms didn't matter, but precisely because they did.
Years earlier, I'd taken a course on User Innovation, which explored how entrepreneurial ideas often emerge from problems people encounter in their own lives. I began thinking about that again.
What if there were a way to make this entire process easier? What if the clinical information I'd already gathered could be intelligently organized, used to complete the forms, and presented for my review rather than requiring me to start from scratch every time?
The opportunity seemed obvious. Physicians could reclaim valuable time, patients could receive the documentation they needed sooner, and insurers and government agencies could receive clearer, more complete applications with less back-and-forth.
The goal was never to replace the physician's judgement. It was to remove as much of the repetitive administrative burden as possible, while keeping the physician firmly in control.
And so began the journey of JOBA.
Dr. Jide Awobamise is a family physician in Edmonton, Alberta. Read more from Dr. Awobamise.