A new report indicates that the number of Canadians who have died while waiting for medical care is at a five-year high. According to the report published on Dec. 6 by SecondStreet.org, over 17,000 patients died before receiving treatment with surgery or diagnostic scans, representing a 64 percent increase since 2018.
The report outlined that the deaths are related to cases in which patients died while waiting for procedures that could have potentially saved their lives or improved their quality of life. The total number of patients who have died while waiting for care since 2018 exceeds 58,000. However, not all health care bodies provided data, as some do not track patients on waiting lists who die before receiving care. In 2022-23, 17,032 patients died while on a waiting list, some waiting for less than a week, while others waited up to nearly 11 years.
SecondStreet.org president and report author Colin Craig described the situation as deplorable and emphasized that more money will not solve the problem. According to the report, government spending on healthcare has risen significantly, but more meaningful health reform is necessary to reduce patient suffering.
The report also highlighted that various provinces in Canada, particularly Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia, have witnessed patients dying while waiting for treatment. The report suggested that privatizing some health-care services and following the EU system, which allows patients to have out-of-country care reimbursed by the government, could be potential solutions to improve patient outcomes. Public opinion research conducted by SecondStreet.org found that 74 percent of Canadians support the idea of an EU-style plan.