An online survey of a representative provincial sample shows that over a third of British Columbians identified long wait times as the biggest problem in the provincial health care system.
Nearly 60% of the population believe that there are some good things about the health care system, but others need changing.
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Out of the respondents, 12% think the health care system needs a complete overhaul, while 26% believe there are only minor issues that need fixing.
“Residents of Metro Vancouver and Southern BC are more likely to say that the provincial health care system requires only minor changes (27% each),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co.
“The proportion is lower in Northern BC (22%), Vancouver Island (also 22%) and the Fraser Valley (18%).”
Several issues
In particular, one of the biggest problems identified is long wait times, according to 38% of survey respondents. Around 45% stated that they’d be willing to pay out of pocket to avoid waiting in long lines for health care.
Furthermore, 37% of respondents stated that they would travel to another country for quicker treatment rather than wait for health care in BC.
The shortage of doctors and nurses, inadequate resources and facilities, and bureaucracy and poor management were seen as the next biggest issues with the provincial health care system.
These findings are based on an online study conducted from August 28th to August 30th, 2019, among 800 adults in British Columbia who stand as representation for the population.
