Canada stood around the middle of the pack for access to a primary care provider in 2016. The country’s position plummeted to dead last in 2023, according to the Commonwealth Fund which surveyed 10 high-income countries.
The Commonwealth Fund’s International Health Policy Survey analyzes the healthcare experiences of the general population aged 18 and older. Aspects such as primary and mental health care, use of information technologies, prescription drug use, chronic illness care, behaviour factors affecting health, and social service needs are evaluated.
The ten countries analyzed were the Netherlands, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Switzerland, France, Sweden, the United States, and Canada. An average is derived for every statistic from the ten countries.
For the proportion of adults who reported having a doctor or place they usually went to for medical care in 2016, Canada stood at 93%, 2% below the average but above Sweden, the United States, and Switzerland. The Netherlands also fell between 2016 and 2023, from 100% to 99%.
In 2023, Canada fell to 86% in this category, 7% below the average and beneath every single country.
“This means that an estimated 4 million Canadian adults did not have a primary care provider in 2023,” read the report.
The survey analyzed several different demographics within the Canadian population. Income was separated, increasing by every $30,000 earned. Those who earned less than $30,000 had the lowest amount of access, at 81%, while those earning more than $150,000 a year had the highest at 93%. The percentage increased with every single incremental gain.
Three age groups were also identified. Ages were split into 18-34, 35-64, and 65+. Again, the percentage of Canadians who reported they have a doctor or place they usually go for medical care increased with every increment. While only 78% of aged 18-34 Canadians said they did have a regular doctor, 93% of those aged 65+ did.
90% of females had access to a regular doctor, while only 82% of males said the same.
“Of Canadians without a regular primary care provider, 39% reported having at least one chronic condition, and 29% took one or more prescription medications,” reads the report.
For the proportion of adults who reported they could get the same or next-day appointments to see a doctor or nurse when they were sick or needed medical attention, Canada ranked dead last again by a huge margin. Only 26% of Canadians were able to get same or next-day appointments, 16% below the CMWF average of 42%, and 9% below the second-last-placed country, New Zealand.
The number of Canadians able to get same or next-day appointments decreased by 20% between 2016 and 2023, going from 46 to 26%.
Respondents were asked whether getting medical care in the evenings, on weekends, or on holidays was easy or somewhat easy. 23% of Canadians said it was, 9% below the average of 32%. Only two countries, the United Kingdom and Sweden, were below Canada in this regard. The Netherlands led the pack at 56%.
In 2016, 35% of Canadians thought it was very or somewhat easy to get medical appointments in the evenings, on weekends, or on holidays.
Despite the challenge in primary care access, the data revealed that Canadian patients feel they have more positive experiences with their healthcare providers.
The survey also included experiences on whether Canadians felt they were treated with courtesy and respect, received clear explanations, were involved in health care decisions, had their medical history well-understood, received help with coordinating care from other providers, and felt they received enough time with their doctors.
Canada ranked above the average in every one of the six categories.
