Three Quarters (74%) Of Canadians Say It Is Reasonable That Governments Develop A Plan For Healthcare System Within 100 Days Of The Release Of The Romanow Report
However, confidence is mixed on what such a plan will deliver. Half (49%) of Canadians agree that at the end of 100 days "Canada will have an action plan that will result in more doctors, nurses and other healthcare professions to serve Canadians."
Similar proportions agree that at the end of 100 days "Canada will have an action plan that will include long-term sustainable funding for the health system" (49%) and that "Canadian governments can get it right and deliver an action plan for renewing the health system that puts the needs of patients first and foremost" (48%).
In other findings, just over four in ten (44%) agree that at the end of 100 days "Canada will have an action plan that will lead to a more accountable health system where all levels of government report back to Canadians on where they spend their health dollars and why", while 41% agree that at the end of 100 days "Canada will have an action plan that will lead to shorter waiting times in emergency rooms and for diagnostic services like MRI's and CAT-Scans."
However, a majority (58%) are confident that at the end of 100 days "Canada will have an action plan that will lead to better public health services such as food and water inspection in communities across the country."
And finally, almost all (97%) say that it is very (85%) or somewhat (12%) important that when the federal and provincial governments are working together on an action plan to renew the health system that they actively involve doctors, nurses and other health professionals in developing the plan.
These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Canadian Medical Association between November 26th and November 28th, 2002. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1,013 adult Canadians. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to the 2001Census data.
To view the factum and tables, please open the attached PDF files.
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For more information on this news release, please contact:
Mike Colledge
Senior Vice-President
Ipsos-Reid Public Affairs
(613) 241-5802
