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Summary of key findings

Waiting time for medical specialist consultations in Canada, 2007

In 2007, an estimated 3 million patients aged 15 or older reported having consulted a specialist about a new condition in the previous year.  Almost 60% of these patients were women.  More than half the patients were aged 45 or older.

The top three conditions about which specialists were consulted were gynecological conditions (12%), heart/stroke (9%), and cancer (7%);  this varied by sex.  About 21% of women consulted a specialist about a new gynecological condition.  Men were more likely than women to have consulted a specialist because of a new heart condition or stroke.

About 46% of the patients waited less than a month for their initial consultation with the specialist.  An additional 40% waited one to three months, and 14% waited more than three months.

This study identifies factors associated with shorter versus longer waiting times for consultations with a specialist.   

Women tended to wait longer than men.  The nature of the new condition and the source of referral were significantly associated with waiting time.   Compared with patients referred by a family physician, those referred by another specialist or a health care provider other than a physician, or who did not require a referral, were more likely to have a shorter waiting time.  For men, but not for women, household income and immigrant status were significant factors in waiting time.

Even when the influence of the other variables was controlled, female patients were significantly less likely than male patients to see a specialist in less than a month.

The nature of the new condition was significantly associated with waiting time for both sexes.  For example, compared with those who had a new heart condition or stroke, the odds of seeing a specialist within a month were significantly lower for men and women with skin and eye conditions and arthritis or rheumatism.

As well, men with asthma or other breathing conditions and women with gynecological conditions had lower odds of consulting a specialist within a month.

Compared with patients referred by their family doctor, those referred by another specialist or another health care provider were roughly twice as likely to see a specialist within a month.

Among patients who indicated no referral was required, the odds of seeing a specialist within a month were five times higher for men and almost four times higher for women, compared with those referred by their family doctor.

Several other factors were significantly associated with waiting time for men, but not women.  Among male patients, the odds of seeing a specialist within a month were twice as high for those who had immigrated more than 10 years earlier than for Canadian-born men.

As well, male patients reporting high blood pressure had significantly low odds of seeing a specialist within a month compared with those without high blood pressure. 

Household income was also significant for male patients.  Men in the lowest income bracket were less likely to see a specialist within a month than men in the top income bracket.

Full article

For more information about this article, contact Gisèle Carrière (1-604-666-5907; Gisele.Carriere@statcan.gc.ca), Health Analysis Division, Statistics Canada.