A new report from the Fraser Institute finds wait times for surgery and other medical treatment cost Canadians more than $982 million in 2012.
The study, released on June 18, found that the average value of time lost during the workweek was $1,192. There were 870,462 patients waiting for surgery in 2012.
The study also calculated the cost when the hours outside of the workweek were factored in. In that scenario, the cost of waiting was $3,447 per person and more than $3 billion overall.
“Canadians face some of the longest waits for health care in the developed world. This creates unnecessary pain and suffering for patients and their families and reduces their ability to participate fully in their lives,” said report author and Fraser Institute director of health policy Nadeem Esmail.
According to The Private Cost of Public Queues for Medically Necessary Care, patients across the country waited a combined 10.6 million weeks for treatment last year.
“Protracted waits for health care deprive Canadians of wages, productivity and enjoyment of life,” added Esmail.
“Canada should embrace sensible health care policy reforms based on the successes of countries like Switzerland, Japan and the Netherlands, all of which provide high-quality and prompt health care regardless of patients’ ability to pay.”
