"Studies into the impacts of social prescribing from the U.K. show fewer visits to emergency and fewer visits to doctors, and Mulligan says U.S. research shows a reduction in burnout when providers socially prescribe.

Research has also shown that people around the world regularly consult doctors for problems that are primarily non-medical. Canada is no exception.

"You have, at the primary care level, patients coming in with issues which really aren't appropriately treated medically … where a non-medical prescription would be better," said Alayne Adams, an associate professor in the department of family medicine at McGill University."