Majority of Albertans dissatisfied with health-care system, poll says

An Ipsos poll, commissioned by the Montreal Economic Institute, found that many Canadians believe governments need to look at private health care to improve the system. (Pexels/Anna Shvets)

Many Albertans want to see more access to independent health-care providers, says a new poll released on Tuesday.

The Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) commissioned Ipsos to conduct a survey to ask Canadians about their support in increasing access to private providers.

The group found that 56 per cent of Canadians are in favour, with just 25 per cent of respondents in opposition of the idea.

The strongest support was in Quebec (68 per cent), followed by Alberta (62 per cent).

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“Canadians from coast to coast are signalling they want to see more involvement from independent health providers in our health system,” said Emmanuelle B. Faubert, economist at the MEI, in a release.

“They understand that universal access doesn’t mean government-run, and that consistent failures to deliver timely care in government hospitals are a feature of the current system.”

The poll also found that residents in Alberta, B.C. and Quebec all found their current health-care systems “too bureaucratic” (83 per cent, 81 per cent and 81 per cent respectively).

Fifty-one per cent of Albertans are dissatisfied with their provincial health-care system, the poll suggested.

MEI also asked respondents about what they thought about the systems in place in Sweden and France, which combine universal coverage with independent providers to “deliver faster, more accessible care.”

It says nearly two-in-three Canadians, when informed of the idea, were in support.

The poll said the European Union’s “cross-border directive” – a policy that allows patients to receive treatment abroad with provincial coverage – also garnered strong support from Canadians (73 per cent).

Earlier this month, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said her government was shifting to an “activity-based” model for health care.

In the announcement on April 7, Smith said this would mean publicly funded, privately run surgical facilities will be brought in to handle routine eye, hip and knee surgeries at a much faster rate than public hospitals.

In a news release, the province said this activity-based funding model has been used to great effect in Australia and many European nations, including Sweden and Norway, to address wait times and access to health-care services.

MEI said the evidence shows that Canadians are seeking change when it comes to health care and there are other options out there.

“Governments shouldn’t keep doubling down on what isn’t working. Instead, they should look at what works abroad,” says Ms. Faubert.

“Canadians have made it clear they want to shift gears; now it’s up to policymakers to show they’re listening.”

The MEI/Ipsos poll was conducted online between March 24 and 28 on a sample of 1,164 Canadians aged 18 and over, with an oversample of residents in Quebec (406).

The margin of error is +/- 3.3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.