Timely access to primary care provider

This concept is assessed through two indicators, one reflecting an objective measure of timely access and the other a subjective measure. Both indicators ask about the most recent consultation with a primary care provider in the past 12 months:

• Wait time (in days or months) between requesting care for a non-urgent need and speaking with a primary health care provider. (Objective measure)
• Satisfaction with wait time between requesting care for a non-urgent need and speaking with a primary health care provider. (Subjective measure)

Wait time is defined as the time between when the respondent requested care and when they spoke with a primary health care provider about their need(s). Non-urgent primary health care needs can include routine care such as check-ups and prescription refills as well as issues that need immediate care but are not emergencies, such as an infection, fever, headache, a sprained ankle, vomiting or an unexplained rash. This includes care received both in-person and through virtual consultations such as over the telephone, by video, or written correspondence. It excludes consultations with optometrists, dentists, or medical specialists.

The objective concept of timely access has been measured in the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). Respondents are asked:

When you have a non-urgent primary health care need or require advice about your health, how long do you usually have to wait before you can consult your regular health care provider? (Objective measure)

Would you say:

1. On the same day
2. The next day
3. 2 to 3 days
4. 4 to 6 days
5. 1 week to less than 2 weeks
6. 2 weeks to less than 1 month
7. 1 month to less than 3 months
8. 3 months to less than 6 months
9. 6 months or more

Note: There are differences in respondents, question text and recall periods across the CCHS cycles. In 2024, this question is only asked of respondents who reported having a regular health care provider and does not specify the most recent consultation in the past 12 months. Future survey cycles of the CCHS will incorporate the recall period of the past 12 months and ask questions about both the objective and subjective measures of timely access to all respondents regardless of if they have a regular health care provider or not.

Both objective and subjective concepts are measured in the 2024 Survey on Health Care Access and Experiences – Primary and Specialist Care (SHCAE-PSC). Respondents are asked:

In the past 12 months, did you consult a health care provider for a non-urgent primary health care need?

1. Yes
2. No

How long did you have to wait between the time you requested care and when you consulted your provider? (Objective measure)

Would you say:

1. On the same day
2. The next day
3. 2 to 3 days
4. 4 to 6 days
5. 1 week to less than 2 weeks
6. 2 weeks to less than 1 month
7. 1 month to less than 3 months
8. 3 months to less than 6 months
9. 6 months or more

How satisfied were you with the wait time? (Subjective measure)

Would you say:

1. Very satisfied
2. Satisfied
3. Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
4. Dissatisfied
5. Very dissatisfied

• Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)
• Survey on Health Care Access and Experiences (SHCAE-PSC)

• A snapshot of the health of Canadians (Statistics Canada – Infographics, November 29, 2023)
• Access to health care (Health of Canadians, September 13, 2023)
• Primary health care providers, 2019 (Health Fact Sheets, October 22, 2020)
• Difficulty accessing health care services in Canada (Health at a Glance, December 8, 2016)