Canadians say money is not the only antidote necessary for the problems plaguing the country’s ailing healthcare system.
A public opinion poll by the Angus Reid Institute finds almost two-thirds of people (60%) say a recent federal cash infusion of 46.2-Billion dollars will help, but about half of those people (51%) say that help will be marginal at best.
More than two-thirds of Canadians (66%) say that structural changes will be more significant.
The Angus Reid Institute found that 62 per cent of people say we need to streamline the process needed for foreign doctors to be approved to come and practice in Canada in order to boost the number of physicians.
Other priorities include ensuring emergency departments are adequately staffed to avoid closures, reducing the mental health strain on health care workers, increasing the speed of treatment, from diagnosis to resolution, and reducing wait lists for family doctors and surgery.
Healthcare professionals, such as doctors and nurses, are more optimistic additional funding will help, but a greater number feel that additional spending by itself cannot solve all of the problems.
The Angus Reid Institute’s Health Care Access Index finds that three-in-ten people face difficulty accessing the healthcare they need, one-third face fewer issues with getting access, and only one-in-six have little trouble receiving care from Canada’s health system.
