5 million adults without primary care, but surgeries returning to normal: CIHI report

A new report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information says 83 per cent of adults in this country have a regular primary-care provider, but that still leaves 5.4 million adults without one.

A new report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information says 83 per cent of adults in this country have a regular primary-care provider, but that still leaves 5.4 million adults without one.

It says seniors 65 years and older are more likely to have access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner than younger adults between 18 and 34.

Access to primary care is highest in Ontario and lowest in Nunavut.

The CIHI report released Thursday morning measures the baseline of health priorities agreed upon by the federal government and the provinces and territories.

Federal health minister Mark Holland says there will be a report every year to measure progress across the country.

In addition to improving access to primary care, the priorities include reducing wait times for mental-health and substance-use counselling, recruiting more health-care workers, decreasing surgical wait times and increasing the use of electronic health information.

CIHI says it will also collect data to measure progress on two more health priorities in the near future, including ensuring seniors can age with dignity and improving cultural safety for Indigenous patients in the health-care system.