Physician opinion of the privatization of health care services in Canada: A survey of Canadian urologists by the Canadian urological association socioeconomic committee

Abstract

Introduction: Canadian health care policy faces unprecedented pressures to reform. With new advances in health care technologies and treatments, proven difficulties in obtaining timely access to necessary health care and the realities of limited fiscal resources sinking in, the status quo is being challenged with the increased role of privately funded health care. To assess the opinions of Canadian urologists on privatization of health care in Canada, the Socioeconomic Committee of the Canadian Urological Association (CUA) surveyed all active members on their beliefs on the role and impact private health care should have in urology. Methods: We emailed a short survey of 9 questions proposed by the CUA Socioeconomic Committee regarding private health care delivery to all active CUA members in April 2007. We received responses by email, fax or mail over a 1-month period. Results: Of the 440 emails sent out, 90 surveys were returned. Respondents believed that a parallel private heath care system would shorten wait times and improve access to care (74%), improve outcomes for those with private health care (58.8%), would not impair the outcomes of those without private health care (74.2%) and would not interfere with the accessibility of health care for most Canadians (73.3%). Most respondents (91.1%) believed that, if privately delivered health care was allowed, urologists should spend a fixed amount of time providing services within the public health care system as well. Conclusion: This survey on Canadian urologists' beliefs on the role and impact private health care should have in urology indicated that most respondents anticipate a growing influence of private health care and advocate for a regulated fixed proportion of service dedicated to the public system. © 2009 Canadian Urological Association.