In a just-released report from the Fraser Institute and reported in The National Post on November 10, Canada ranks near the bottom of 28 developed countries when it comes to the availability of doctors and hospital beds, with patients having to endure the longest wait times for care. The Report examines countries with universal health care systems and reports on their performance against peer nations.
Although Canada spends more than 11% of its GDP on health care, (the highest of all countries in the study except for Switzerland), this has not translated into effective care for its citizens. Statistics show a grim picture:
- 63% of Canadians have to wait more than four weeks to see a specialist; 30% have to wait more than eight weeks; 18% have to wait four months or more
- Canada ranks 26th out of 28 countries for number of doctors per capita; 17th when comparing number of nurses per capita
- Canada has 10.5 MRI machines per one million people and 16 CT scanners per one million people; the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average is 18 per one million and 29 per one million, respectively
- Clinical outcomes for diabetes-related amputation and obstetric trauma are worse than the other countries in the OECD
- Only 43% of Canadians are able to get a same-day doctor appointment when sick (placing Canada in a last place tie with Norway)
The Report states, “Clearly there is an imbalance between the value Canadians receive and the relatively high amount of money they spend on their health care system.”
As a result, Canadians have begun looking for alternate solutions for the timely treatment of their health issues. VUMI® Canada is a private health insurance company offering VIP medical service to Canadians seeking to expand their healthcare options worldwide. VUMI® Canada identifies U.S. Centers of Excellence for a specific condition indicated for their insureds, then coordinates the procedure.
