Knowing the Facts
The Fraser Institute has issued it’s 20th edition of it’s in depth report, “Wait Times for Health Care in Canada.” Also know as “Waiting Your Turn.” In the report, highlights include the following: *Specialist physicians surveyed across 12 specialties and 10 Canadian provinces report a total waiting time of 18.2 weeks between referral from a general practitioner and elective treatment in 2010. *Patients in Ontario experience the shortest wait (14.0 weeks) followed by Manitoba (17.5 weeks), and British Columbia and Quebec (18.8 weeks) *Patients wait longest to undergo orthopedic surgery (35.6 weeks) and wait least for medical oncology treatment (4.9 weeks) *Canadians wait nearly 3 weeks longer than what physicians believe is “reasonable” for elective treatment after an appointment with a specialist *Throughout the provinces, in 2010 people are waiting for an estimated 825,827-procedures. Assuming that each person waits for only one procedure, 2.45 percent of Canadians are waiting for tr