Report Reveals Most Canadians Have a Health Provider, But Long Wait Times Persist
A recent report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) highlights both progress and challenges in Canada’s health care system. While the report shows that 83% of Canadian adults have access to a regular family doctor or nurse practitioner, many still face long waits for appointments, potentially delaying necessary care.
Access vs. Availability: A Mixed Picture
Kathleen Morris, CIHI’s vice president of research and analytics, expressed some surprise at the high percentage of Canadians reporting access to primary care providers. However, she cautioned that even those with a regular doctor often experience significant wait times before securing an appointment.
“Some of the delays may be related to the complexity of chronic conditions, which require longer consultation times,” Morris explained.
The findings come from CIHI’s latest progress report, which evaluates the implementation of priorities set by federal, provincial, and territorial governments in 2023. These goals include:
Expanding the health workforce and reducing wait times for surgeries, which have now returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Enhancing access to mental health and substance use services.
Modernizing digital health systems to enable secure sharing of electronic health records.
Gaps in Primary Care Coverage
The report notes that 5.4 million Canadians aged 18 and older—about 17% of the adult population—do not have a regular health care provider, such as a family doctor or nurse practitioner. Family doctors and nurse practitioners are described as the “lynchpin” of primary care, essential for managing ongoing health needs.
Different provinces employ varied strategies to improve access to front-line care. For example, team-based care models bring together doctors, nurses, and dietitians to support patients with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Room for Improvement
Dr. Raghu Venugopal, an emergency physician in Toronto, gave the health care system an “A-minus” grade, commending progress but stressing the need for further improvements, especially in primary care. “If family medicine is strong, it strengthens the entire health care system,” he noted. Venugopal also warned about the “concerning minority” of patients who either lack a family doctor or cannot access follow-up care.
Patient Experience: A Wild Goose Chase for Care
Jenna Kedy, a 20-year-old from Halifax with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, shared her challenges navigating the health care system without a consistent family doctor for two years. “It was really frustrating and stressful,” Kedy recalled. “I had to visit multiple hospitals over several days just to get the care I needed.” She described the experience as mentally exhausting and emotionally draining.
Family Physicians Seeing Fewer Patients
While the number of family doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners has increased in nearly all provinces and territories, CIHI reported that family physicians are treating fewer patients annually. The average number of patients per family doctor dropped from 1,746 in 2013 to 1,353 in 2021.
Morris emphasized the importance of data-driven insights to guide improvements. “Having comparable measurements across provinces allows for shared learning and innovation,” she said. CIHI plans to develop more targeted indicators for areas like substance use treatment in future reports.
Canada’s health care system shows promising signs of recovery and progress, but access challenges persist, particularly in primary care. Strengthening family medicine and reducing wait times remain critical to improving the system’s overall performance. With further collaboration and data-driven strategies, CIHI aims to support continued improvements in health care delivery across the country.
Source : Swifteradio.com
