4.1 million Canadians without family doctor: StatsCan
18.06.2008 20:01
Health
- Source: cbc.ca
A new report from Statistics Canada says an estimated 4.1 million Canadians aged 12 or older are without a family doctor, either because they can’t find one or haven’t looked. The 2007 Canadian Community Health Survey found that among those who have no primary-care physician, about 78 per cent seek medical care elsewhere.
'How do we fix the Canadian system? I don't know. But we should be looking at the social healthcare systems of other countries for the answer, not to privatization.' --jotest Add your comment The federal agency says 64 per cent reported going to walk-in or appointment clinics, 12 per cent went to a hospital emergency room, while about 10 per cent went to a community health centre. The remaining 14 per cent chose to use other types of health-care facilities or services such as hospital out-patient clinics, telephone health lines or doctor's offices. The health services used instead of a regular medical doctor varied according to the size of a person’s community. Nearly half of rural residents surveyed said they usually visit a clinic when they need advice or treatment, compared to seven in 10 urban residents. Almost one-quarter of rural residents reported going to an emergency room, compared to eight per cent of urban residents. The president of the College of Family Physicians of Canada says walk-in clinics, emergency departments and other alternatives are a good safety valve in the system for those unable to access medical care any other way. But Dr. Ruth Wilson says they are not the best choice for patients who need long-term management of chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. With files from the Canadian PressStory Tools: E-MAIL | PRINT | Text Size: SMLXL | REPORT TYPO | SEND YOUR FEEDBACKRelatedInternal LinksPay-per-use family practice to open in VancouverFamily doctor shortage major hurdle to health care: studyFamily doctor shortage worsens in OntarioOverworked Alberta doctor drops hundreds of patientsExternal LinksStatistics Canada: Canadian Community Health Survey(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window) Health Headlines4.1 million Canadians without family doctor: StatsCanA new report from Statistics Canada says an estimated 4.1 million Canadians aged 12 or older are without a family doctor.TV viewing, computer use linked to obesity: StatsCanCanadian adults who spend hours a day watching television or sitting in front of a computer are more likely to be obese, according to a new Statistics Canada study.U.S. firm hopes to end need for vitamin B12 shotsCapsules could some day replace intramuscular injections for people with vitamin B12 deficiency, a U.S. company says.Cancer risk reduced by 80% after bariatric surgery, McGill study findsA new study suggests that morbidly obese patients who have surgery to reduce their stomach size also lower their risk of developing cancer by about 80 per cent.Absence of single protein can reduce risk of heart disease: studyU.S. researchers say they're closer to finding out how to dampen the inflammatory response that can lead to heart disease if left unchecked. Health FeaturesVIDEOHuman bodyA not-so-virtual tour (2:40)IN DEPTHStem cellsResearch fraught with controversyHEALTH & FITNESSPeter HadzipetrosFit to be downtownCANADA ABROADHospital of hopeHealthVitamin DBoning up on the sunshine vitaminPeople who read this also read …
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