According to a newly-released report, access to primary care providers in Ontario depends on where you live, your income, the language you speak and whether you are new to the province.
The study was published by Health Quality Ontario, a group that works with the province to monitor and improve the health care system.
The group looked at access to primary care providers (including doctors, general practitioners, nurse practitioners and others) across the province.
Here is a look at some key numbers from the report:
94 per cent - the number of Ontarians aged 16 and older who have a primary care provider. The report found that those in the north are less likely to have a primary care provider. Between 87.3 and 88.3 per cent reported having a primary care provider they see regularly. The rate was highest in the southeast, where 97.3 per cent said they had a primary care provider.
44.3 per cent - the percentage of residents who are able to schedule an appointment with a primary care provider within 24 hours. This is on par with the rest of Canada's provinces, the report said.
However, residents living in northern or rural regions are even less likely to be able to schedule an appointment within a day. In rural areas, only 34.6 per cent could schedule an appointment within 24 hours. In the north, the number dropped to only 28.4 per cent.
Three-quarters - the fraction of patients who receive a call back from their primary care provider or someone in the office within a day. Rates are highest in southeast Ontario and the Hamilton-Niagara region.
If the main language spoken at home is not English or French, the number drops to 67.6 per cent, the study found.
Four out of five - the rate of people who say their primary care provider always involves them in decisions about their care and treatment.
41.5 per cent - the percentage of Ontarians overdue for colorectal cancer screening. The percentage of people overdue for screening is higher in remote areas (45 per cent) than in urban areas (41 per cent). The lowest percentage of people overdue for screening is in the North Simcoe Muskoka region, while the highest is in the Central West region.
4.1 per 100 - the rate of people with complications due to diabetes in 2013-2014, the most recent data available. The rate has decreased from 6 people per 100 in 2005-2006. Despite the overall decrease, the study found that Ontario residents with living in rural areas or with lower incomes are more likely to experience complications.
13.5 per cent - the readmission rate within 30 days of leaving an Ontario hospital. The report said readmission may point to "problems in the quality of care," or to missed opportunities for coordinating with primary care providers. Readmission rates are highest in lower income areas, the study said.
Follow-up care with a family doctor may help reduce readmissions, researchers said. Less than one-third of people have a follow-up visit with a primary care doctor within a week of leaving the hospital. Rates of follow-ups are lowest in the province's northeast and rural areas.
