Survey results from 2000 to 2007 show that while access is important to all Canadians, various respondent groups have important differences in views on how to achieve it.
From 2002 to 2007, the Canadian public was asked whether it believed that access to timely, quality health care would improve. In 2002, 2006, and 2007, health care providers were also asked this question. All groups were most pessimistic in 2002. During the survey time period no more than 7% of any group stated that access to timely, quality health care would "significantly improve." However, the total number saying access would "significantly improve" or "improve somewhat" had risen noticeably by 2006 and 2007, most so for managers and least so for nurses. View the full data table. View graphs.
From 2000 to 2004, the public was surveyed on its satisfaction with access to care in the home or community. The levels of expressed satisfaction remained generally steady throughout the five years. View the full data table. View graphs.
From 2002 to 2007, health care providers and the public were asked about their support for various policies to increase access to health professionals. The rating scale varied over the years: degrees of "agree"/"disagree," degrees of "support"/"oppose," and rating support on a 10-point scale. Support for "requiring patients to register with one family doctor or other primary health care provider," surveyed from 2002 to 2007, received fluctuating support which was lowest among doctors and highest among nurses. View the full data table. View graphs.
Support for "requiring health professionals to work in teams with other types of health care providers" was surveyed between 2003 and 2007. Responses fluctuated over time but showed significant differences between groups, with lowest support among doctors, moderately more support among the public, still more support among nurses and pharmacists, and the most support among managers. View the full data table. View graphs.
The topic of support for "requiring health professionals to work in specific geographic areas" was surveyed from 2003 to 2007. Doctors expressed much less support for this than other groups, but support decreased noticeably among all groups. View the full data table. View graphs.
In 2006 and 2007, the survey canvassed support for "increase[ing] medical and nursing school enrolment levels" and "making it easier for foreign trained doctors to practice in Canada." Support for increasing enrolment was highest among nurses and lowest among pharmacists. Support for foreign trained doctors varied more between groups, with least support among doctors. View the full data table. View graphs.
In 2005 and 2006, the public and health care providers were asked whether they thought waiting times for elective surgery were getting longer, shorter, or staying the same. While all groups indicated that waiting times were getting longer, relatively more nurses and relatively fewer managers agreed with this observation. View the full data table. View graphs.