Almost Half of Canadians are Steer Clear of Hospitals due to Long Wait Times

Around 47 percent of Canadians choose to stay home rather than seek medical treatment with a doctor or hospital because of long wait times, as per a recent survey.

According to Dominic Lucyk, communications director with think tank SecondStreet.org, which conducted the study, the Canadian government and provincial governments have been trying to solve the issue by increasing funding for the healthcare system for years. However, the wait-list numbers and deaths on those lists continue to rise annually.

The survey was released along with a policy brief on Nov. 4, which examined public opinion regarding healthcare reform in Canada.

Lucyk expressed concern over the number of people avoiding necessary medical care due to long wait times, stating, “You have something that you may think at first is not as serious, but it could cost you your life.”

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The survey, which included 1,520 adults and was conducted by Leger, revealed that 73 percent of respondents support giving patients the option to remain on local waiting lists or get reimbursed by the province for seeking care elsewhere.

Additionally, the survey showed that a small percentage of Canadians from different income brackets have paid for healthcare outside of their province.

Despite the current laws allowing patients to access private healthcare in another province, the issue of long wait times persists.

Lucyk emphasized the importance of making it easier for Canadians to access healthcare outside their province and implementing policies to reimburse those who choose to do so.

The policy brief by SecondStreet explored the EU model as a potential solution, as it combines universal healthcare with the ability for patients to pay for and be reimbursed for healthcare services.

The brief highlighted that there are approximately 5.2 million Canadians on healthcare waiting lists, with nearly 60,000 Canadians having died while waiting for care since 2018.