Canada
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Canadians waiting longer than ever for medical treatment, Fraser Institute study finds

The annual Fraser Institute study this year reports a median wait time of 27.4 weeks for Canadians to get treatment after a family doctor referral

In Canada, getting a referral from a family doctor is often just the start of a months-long process toward treatment.
In Canada, getting a referral from a family doctor is often just the start of a months-long process toward treatment. Photo by Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press/File

OTTAWA – The latest annual study on medical wait times from the Fraser Institute indicates Canadians are waiting longer than ever to see a doctor.

The think tank has been running the survey since 1993, and this year reports a median wait time of 27.4 weeks for Canadians to get treatment, longer than the 25.6 weeks reported in 2021 and significantly longer than 9.3 weeks the institute recorded in 1993.

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The wait time includes the time period between when a patient is referred by their family doctor to a specialist, the consultation with that specialist and when they are ultimately given treatment or surgery for their specific ailment.

This year’s survey took in responses from 850 physicians across the country. The institute said COVID-19 backlogs were part of the problem, but contended this was just more evidence of a broken health-care system.

“Excessively long wait times remain a defining characteristic of Canada’s health-care system” said Mackenzie Moir, Fraser Institute policy analyst and co-author of the report. “And they aren’t simply minor inconveniences, they can result in increased suffering for patients, lost productivity at work, a decreased quality of life, and in the worst cases, disability or death.”

More to come …