Ombudsman Report Shows a 33% Increase in Patient Complaints in Ontario Compared to Last Year
Health-care complaints have risen 33 percent since last year and include a “troubling” number of grievances from those struggling to access primary care, Ontario’s patient ombudsman says.
Ombudsman Craig Thompson received 4,388 complaints during the 2022-23 year, its highest number of complaints to date.
The majority of the 785 primary care complaints received, the report said, were due to difficulties accessing walk-in clinics, lack of access to a physician, issues booking appointments, or delays with care.
The report noted that the growing number of complaints falling outside of the office’s jurisdiction have “no appropriate oversight or referral mechanism.”
“Going forward, our office will start analyzing the data collected to better understand this unaddressed need,” the report said.
Half of the complaints within the ombudsman’s purview involved hospitals, a number the report called “unsurprising” because more people access care through the emergency room than other health sector organizations.
The top five concerns about hospitals were: the quality of care received, poor diagnosis/treatment, discharges or transfers, poor communication, and lack of sensitivity and respect.
The number of complaints involving long-term care homes dipped substantially from 858 during the two years of the pandemic to 334 complaints in the past year. The report attributed the decrease to an easing of restrictions on visiting, widespread COVID-19 vaccination, and government investments in staffing and infection prevention and control.
The smallest group of complaints—six percent—involved home and community care services. There were a total of 272 complaints with most referencing the ongoing staffing challenges and lack of stability of personal support services for home care patients.
Patient Complaints
The report also highlighted details surrounding a few of the complaints the ombudsman received.
