Half of Canadians do not have a doctor, or battle for appointments: survey – GLOBAL

August 17, 2023

In the midst of a family doctor shortage across the country, half of Canadians do not have a primary care physician or have difficulty securing a timely appointment with their current one, according to a recent survey.

The survey, released Thursday by Angus Reid Institute and the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), found that one in five Canadians said they don’t have a family doctor.

For those fortunate enough to have one, the struggle persists, as 29 per cent of respondents said it was difficult to get an appointment. Thirty-seven per cent of respondents said it usually takes a few days to get an appointment with their family doctor, while 15 per cent said they get in right away.

Among Canadians who do not have a family physician, 26 per cent have abandoned their search, while another 38 per cent have been looking for more than a year, the survey found.

Read more: https://globalnews.ca/news/9901922/canadians-family-doctor-shortage-cma-survey/