The study draws upon data from the Fraser Institute’s
Waiting Your Turn study, an annual survey of Canadian physicians who, in 2020, reported the national median waiting time from specialist appointment to treatment was 12.1 weeks.
Crucially, the $2.8 billion in lost wages is likely a conservative estimate because it doesn’t account for the additional 10.5-week wait to see a specialist after receiving a referral from a general practitioner.
Taken together (10.5 weeks and 12.1 weeks), the total median wait time in Canada for medical treatment was 22.6 weeks in 2020 – the longest in the survey’s 30-year history.
“While some of this backlog is the direct result of COVID-19 related closures, results from the same survey suggest that almost as many (1.1 million) patients were waiting for treatment in 2019 – before the pandemic started,” said Mackenzie Moir, Fraser Institute Policy Analyst and study co-author.
VANCOUVERâLong waits for surgery and medical treatment cost Canadians almost $2.8 billion in lost wages and productivity last year, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
Preliminary data suggest that an estimated 1.2 million patients waited for medically necessary treatment last year, and each lost an estimated $2,254 (on average) due to lost wages and reduced productivity during working hours.
Consequences of unreasonable waits for surgery
âHealth-care workers across Canada should be commended for the superb job theyâre doing to get us through this global pandemic. However, while we are constantly reminded of the consequences of COVID-19, less discussed are the consequences of unreasonable waits for surgery which can range from physical pain and psychological distress for some, to permanent disability and death for others,â said Bacchus Barua, associate director of health polic
Fraser Institute News Release: Canadian generosity has hit a new low
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) The number of Canadians donating to charity as a percentage of all tax filers is at the lowest point in the past 18 years, and as a share of income the amount lags far behind what Americans give, finds a new study by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
“The holiday season is a time to reflect on charitable giving, and the data shows Canadians are consistently less charitable every year, which means charities face greater challenges to secure resources to help those in need,” said Jake Fuss, senior policy analyst with the Fraser Institute and co-author of
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) The number of Canadians donating to charity as a percentage of all tax filers is at the lowest point in the past 18 years, and as a share of income the amount lags far behind what Americans give, finds a new study by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. The holiday season is a time to reflect on charitable giving, and the data shows Canadians are consistently less charitable every year, which means charities face greater challenges to secure resources to help those in need, said Jake Fuss, senior policy analyst with the Fraser Institute and co-author of
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Canadian patients waited longer than ever this year for medical treatment, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent,