Targeting waiting times in priority clinical areas produces uneven results

Attempts by the Canadian government to reduce waiting times by investing an additional $4.5bn (£2.3bn; €3.0bn; $US4.4bn) in priority areas have achieved uneven results. This is the finding from national data from physicians in all medical disciplines across Canada.

The 2007 national physician survey is Canada’s largest census survey of physicians (sent to all licensed physicians in Canada), and physicians in training. Conducted jointly by the College of Family Physicians of Canada, the Canadian Medical Association, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the 2007 survey confirms that timely access to health care remains a serious challenge for Canadians.

In 2004, Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial …