Last year, Canadian patients lost nearly $3.5 billion in wages due to medical wait times

The Fraser Institute, an independent Canadian public policy think-tank, has released a new study revealing that long waits for surgery and medical treatment cost Canadians nearly $3.5 billion in lost wages and productivity last year. The study, titled “The Private Cost of Public Queues for Medically Necessary Care, 2024,” highlights the significant financial impact of delays in accessing healthcare services.

According to the study, an estimated 1.2 million patients waited for medically necessary treatment in Canada last year, with each patient losing an average of $2,871 in wages and productivity due to the delays. The national median waiting time from specialist appointment to treatment was reported to be 13.1 weeks in 2023, resulting in a total median wait time of 27.7 weeks for medical treatment.

Nadeem Esmail, a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute, emphasized that long wait times not only lead to increased pain and suffering but also have a tangible economic cost for Canadians. The study found that residents of Prince Edward Island faced the highest per-patient cost of waiting, followed by New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

The findings underscore the need for improvements in the Canadian healthcare system to reduce wait times and enhance access to timely medical care. As patients continue to bear the financial burden of long delays, policymakers and healthcare providers must work towards addressing these challenges to ensure better outcomes for all Canadians.