Majority (84%) of Canadians `Concerned' that over One in Ten Don't Have a Family Doctor, Time it Takes to Get an Appointment with Family Doctor (51%) or Specialist (84%)

Toronto, ON - Most Canadians (84%) are `concerned' (52% very/31% somewhat) about the `fact that more than one in ten Canadians do not have a family doctor', according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Canadian Medical Association. In fact, according to the poll, roughly 17% of Canadians don't have a family doctor. But among the 82% that do, a majority (51%) are `concerned' (21% strongly/30% somewhat) about `the length of time it takes to get an appointment with their family doctor'.

Canadians appear to be troubled about a number of other aspects relating to the healthcare system, particularly those dealing with wait times for specialists, including `the length of time it takes to see a specialist doctor upon referral from a family doctor' (84% -- 51% very/33% somewhat), and `the amount of time it takes to get treatment following a consultation with a specialist' (83% -- 47% very/36% somewhat).

Thinking about various concepts or activities which could serve to improve access to family doctors and specialists in Canada, Canadians believe a number of possible solutions could be useful. First and foremost, almost all (98%) Canadians believe that `training more family doctors' would be `useful' (80% very/18% somewhat) in improving access to family doctors and specialists, while almost as many (96%) believe that `improving coordination between family doctors and other specialists' would be `useful' (66% very/31% somewhat) in improving access. An equal proportion (96%) is of the opinion that `improving access of family doctors to advanced diagnostic tests for their patients, such as MRIs or CT scans, would be `useful' (67% very/29% somewhat).

Most (95%) believe that `increasing the use of teams of family doctors and other health care providers working together' would be `useful' (58% strongly/37% somewhat) in increasing access for patients, while nine in ten (91%) think that something as simple as `improving the scheduling of medical appointments' would be `useful' (52% very/49% somewhat).

Finally, nine in ten (89%) suggest that `establishing and managing lists of patients who are looking for a family doctor' would be `useful' (51% very/38% somewhat) in increasing patient access to family doctors.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between November 17th and November 19th, 2009, on behalf of the Canadian Medical Association. For this survey, a national sample of 1,021 adults from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points 19 times out of 20 of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Mike Colledge
Senior Vice President
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(613) 688-8971
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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