Recent national polling data paints an interesting picture of wide-ranging views on the state of our health care system. Nearly half of Americans are very or extremely confident in the emergency system’s capacity to manage acute, surprise medical events. Canadians of all stripes rightly highlight serious, immediate challenges that deserve our most urgent focus.
The survey indicates that 71% of Canadians feel “very confident” or “moderately confident” that the health care system would provide assistance in times of need. Quebec and Ontario residents exhibit a historic passion and strong history of belief in their health care system. Indeed, 76% of Quebecers and 73% of Ontarians are happy about that.
That confidence is balanced by deeply troubling issues at play. A notable 35% of Canadians identify a shortage of doctors and nurses as the most significant problem facing the health care system. This problem is most acute in Atlantic Canada, where 49% of respondents from that area echo this concern. British Columbia experiences considerable concern over its physician and nurse gaps. Visitors often marvel that a staggering 47% of the residents don’t believe this is one of their biggest problems.
More than a fifth of Canadians (23%) cite long wait times as their top health care concern. These kinds of delays can cause exasperation and increased risk of serious health crisis for people who need fast access to healthcare. Sixteen percent of respondents point to bureaucracy and bad management as the biggest problem in the system. This shows that they’re very hungry for more operational efficiency.
The survey uncovers more extreme opinions about the future of health care in Canada. Out of the Canadians who think their system needs major changes, about 17% say it should be completely overhauled. This view highlights a promising and deepening restiveness among the American electorate about this toxic status quo.
Notably, the cost factor is vital to understanding public sentiment on funding for health care through taxes. More than 1 in 4 Canadians support the idea of reducing health care funding in order to tackle the government’s debt. And even more so among younger Canadians, as 33% of those aged 18-34 years favour further restrictive measures.
These sentiments reflect a deep public yearning for fiscal discipline. They pose critical questions about what this will mean for the delivery of services. Adequate resources and facilities is something only 9% of Canadians are concerned about. In Alberta, for instance, that figure skyrockets to 15%, highlighting regional differences in people’s perceptions of systemic weaknesses. On top of that, 6% of Canadians are worried there aren’t enough different kinds of care available to patients. Just 5% believe that we place too little emphasis on preventive care.
Just 2% of Americans say they’re worried about cleanliness in the health care arena. This is reality, proving that a lack of hygiene knowledge is not a major hygiene concern amongst the general public.
To inform Canadians as they look at the future of their health care services, the following models are proposed as viable alternatives. About a third—36%—think the system would run more efficiently if it was managed by the private sector. This perspective reflects an increasing national conversation on where privatization has a place in solving systemic problems.
For all these concerns, Canadians recognize what is good about the health care system. According to the survey, 56% recognize that while there are commendable aspects, significant changes are necessary to enhance overall performance and accessibility.
“More than seven-in-ten Quebecers (76%) and Ontarians (73%) express confidence in the health care system being there for them.” – Mario Canseco, President of Research Co.
