Canadians faced longest ever health-care wait times in 2024, study finds

National Post ^ | December 12, 2024 | Stewart Lewis

[grundle]

Canadians waited longer than ever for medical treatment in 2024, says the Fraser Institute.

This year’s edition of its annual survey of physicians from across Canada reports a median wait time of 30 weeks from referral by a family doctor to consultation with a specialist, and then from the consultation to actual treatment.

The 30-week wait is the longest ever recorded by the Institute — longer than the 27.7 weeks in 2023, 20.9 weeks in pre-pandemic 2019, and 222 per cent longer than the 9.3 weeks in 1993, when it began tracking wait times.

“While most Canadians understand that wait times are a major problem, we’ve now reached an unprecedented and unfortunate milestone for delayed access to care,” said Bacchus Barua, director of health policy studies at the Fraser Institute and co-author of “Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2024.”

The independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank released the new survey Thursday.

“Long wait times can result in increased suffering for patients, lost productivity at work, a decreased quality of life, and in the worst cases, disability or death,” said Mackenzie Moir, senior policy analyst at the Fraser Institute and study co-author.

[wgmalabama]

Government controlled health care that so many here want.

[cpdiii]

I needed a aortic valve replacement and repair of my aorta due to an aortic aneurysm. I had been followed by cardiology for a few years. When it got to the point I needed surgery it was 3 weeks until it was done. I had Medicare and Blue Cross. I pay a lot for the Blue Cross. It was worth it. My surgery cost me nothing. In Canada I could have died waiting.

[cpdiii]

Don’t wait in lines . Assisted suicide care is quiet quick and easy . Canada Death care hopes all over 60 choose that option .

Reminds me of MASH the movie. "Painless" the dentist, is committing suicide (he thinks) the other docs have presented him with "The Black Capsule." Painless wants suicide due to the fact his once incredible manhood seems to have quit working. The Black Capsule is just a sedative and he wakes up thinking he is dead and in the afterlife with a most beautiful sensual woman (actually one of the nurses) and his manhood is restored via her attentions. All the while the music of "Suicide is Painless" plays in the background.

MASH was a brilliant movie and TV series.