Abstract

Timely and appropriate access to needed care continues to challenge the healthcare system in every province and territory in Canada. Indeed, the Romanow report (Romanow 2002) stated that "long waiting times are the main, and in many cases, only reason some Canadians say they would be willing to pay for treatments outside the public health system." A recent report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), "Waiting for Healthcare in Canada: What We Know and What We Don't Know" (CIHI 2006), helps outline the current situation.