Canada’s Access to Primary Medical Care Compared to Other High-Income Countries
- Natalie Maruna
- Mar 23, 2024
- 2 min read
A survey published by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) showed the ranked list of 10 high-income countries, looking at their access to primary medical care. The study, conducted by the Commonwealth Fund (CMWF), interviewed 4,820 participants, and the findings showed that Canada’s results from 2023 presented significantly lower than the CMFW average. Access to primary care providers fell from 93 percent in 2016 to 83 percent in 2023. This places Canada last out of the top 10 countries measured by the CMWF, the average being 93 percent.
While 86 percent is still considered fairly high, this number represents the four million Canadians that did not have access to a primary care provider in the last year. Of this population, the research suggested that the least likely to have a doctor were lower-income Canadian males, ages 18 to 34. As well, two out of the five respondents had at least one chronic condition, and almost one third were taking one or more prescription medications. To take matters a step further, only 26 percent of Canadians reported being able to get same-day or next-day appointments. This is compared to 46 percent back in 2016.
These staggering numbers depict the rising trend and crisis that is continuing to grow. Limited access to primary care surpasses the boundaries of Ontario as it affects Canadians country-wide. While the federal government has claimed to make addressing the physician shortage a priority, clearly greater urgency needs to be devoted towards mitigating the gap in demand for care across Canada. With the country’s population rapidly growing, more doctors are needed to meet the needs of Canadians.
For more information, the link to CIHI’s publication of the survey is listed below.
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