70 Percent of Ontario Residents Waiting More Than 3 Months to See Health Care Specialist, Have Diagnostic Test

The entrance sign to a hospital in Toronto on Oct. 19, 2021. The Canadian Press/Evan Buhler

About 70 percent of Ontarians report waiting longer than three months to see a specialist or have a diagnostic test, according to a new survey.

The survey, conducted by Abacus Data, found that 70 percent of Ontario residents said they or someone they know had waited longer than three months to see a specialist or receive diagnostic care, including one-third who waited longer than six months.

The survey was funded by the Ontario College of Family Physicians, and the president of the college, Dr. Jobin Varughese, said that patients are being impacted while “waiting without answers.”

“Patients deserve a coordinated system that optimizes getting the right care at the right time, and family physicians want to help make that happen,” he said.

Four in five Ontario residents expressed concern over the time it takes to see a specialist or get diagnostic testing, the college said.

The survey found that 94 percent of Ontarians said that long wait times cause unnecessary stress and put patients’ health at risk.

The college said it was calling for a province-wide centralized referral system that would offer a single place where family physicians can manage referrals.

“A modern referral system would allow family physicians to spend less time on administrative work, and more time caring for patients and supporting them every step of the way,” said Deepy Sur, CEO of the college.

The poll surveyed 1,500 Ontario residents and was conducted online between Nov. 20 and 27.

Impacted by Wait Time

Statistics Canada published a similar report using 2024 data, and found that 35 percent of Canadians waited less than a month for an initial consultation with a specialist. Thirty percent reported waiting between one and three months, and 36 percent waited longer than three months, according to the data.

StatCan said that prolonged wait times for specialist care can “adversely affect” patient health outcomes by delaying timely diagnosis and necessary interventions.

“Patients may also experience increased anxiety, stress, pain, and worsening of their condition while waiting for care,” StatCan said.

Of the Canadians who saw a specialist within 12 months prior to the survey, nearly 64 percent said their lives were affected by the wait time. Sixty-six percent of them reported feeling worried, anxious, or stressed; 36 percent said they had difficulties with daily activities; and another 22 percent said their condition had deteriorated over the waiting time. Twelve percent said they experienced other symptoms on top of their initial health issue.

In Ontario, 64 percent reported that their lives were affected by the wait time, according to StatCan data.

A similar survey, conducted by Angus Reid in collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Society and released on Nov. 28, found that one in five Canadians said they do not have a family doctor and face health care challenges as a result.

Participants who have a family doctor still said it was difficult to get an appointment and they had to wait a week or more to be seen.

The Angus Reid survey was published about two days after an annual publication by think tank SecondStreet.org that reported 23,746 Canadians died last year while on a waiting list for care.

The annual “Died on a Waiting List” report analyzes data from provincial health authorities, excluding Alberta and some parts of Manitoba. President of SecondStreet.org Colin Craig said the numbers show a 3 percent increase over data from the previous year.

The Canadian Press contributed to this article.