Acute care hospital bedding of Canada is higher than America, and reaches up to 3. 2 per 1000. But this number has also shown a decrease with time like all other countries. Average stays in the hospitals have decreased with a rise in same day hospitalization for patients who are awaiting surgical procedures. The MRI and CT scans of Canada per capita are still low, at an average of 4. 5 per million and 10. 3 million per million populations respectively. (OECD Health Data, 2005) Canada has demonstrated good care of its people in the past and the present.
For example, the average life expectancy of a Canadian now stands at 79. 7 years, which is one of the higher ones in the world. Similarly, the infant mortality rate has decreased with time, with the average of 5. 4 deaths per 1000 each year. This average is much lower than the averages noted for the USA and OECD countries in 2002. Canada prides itself in its reduction of smoke consumption from 34% in 1980 to 17% in 2003, which is a higher achievement when compared to the US or to the other OECD countries.
The obesity rates however, have increased but not to the alarming extent that is seen in the USA. Overall, Canada has shown some remarkable progress with a gradual increase in its performance level in many areas of the healthcare provision. (OECD Health Data, 2005) There have been many changes since the nineties in the Canadian healthcare system, and sad to say, like many other countries, the satisfaction level for the healthcare provision amongst the patients has decreased with time.
Although when compared to the rest of the world, Canada still maintains the highest satisfaction rates, but; however with time, concerns about its different developing problems are coming out in the front. In order to reduce and eliminate this problem for that matter, it is imperative that Canada carry out changes in its healthcare delivery system to meet the challenges of the future. The Canadian medicate system is attributed for many valuable contributions in the healthcare system.
Not only has this system increased its expansion over the years, it has also been successful in reducing unnecessary costs overall. Canada does however; show one aspect of healthcare delivery. It has shown that the health status of many Canadians is linked to their income status and class. (Evans and Barer, 2001) This relation has persisted, with added vexation that the lower income patients utilize more healthcare services when compared to those with the higher status. This issue no doubt is one of the main areas of interests among the different policy makers.
(Evans and Barer, 2001) Perhaps the most dynamic of the reports yet published about the healthcare system of Canada was done so by Brian Lee Crowley in 2004. Crowley addressed the different faults in the Canadian healthcare system by calling them as myths that are now a part of the different healthcare studies conducted regarding patient satisfaction. The report in conclusive and incisive for it brings to light the many variables of the Canadian system, and not only focuses on one or two pet themes. (Crowley, 2004)
Crowley in his report is quick to report that the Canadian system is not one of the best healthcare systems in the world. Canada in 2004 was rated 30th in the world for the quality of healthcare provision. The Canadians do not like all the facets of the Medicare. For example, as stated above, Canadians are against the private and for-profit business in healthcare, but are very practical people for trying out different methods and alternatives for the provision for healthcare, as mentioned above. Crowley is also eager to point out that contrary to the belief; the Canadian Medicare is not sustainable.
The spending rates that have been decreased over the years are mainly attributed to the reductions in services. This means that for the Canadians to survive, either they must be willing to accept a decrease in the levels of services provided, which they are not willing to do, or to increase their tax payments. Although both the systems are not acceptable to the Canadians, the debate is still going on and the Canadians to some extent have started to consider the possibility of giving more for increased services. (Crowley, 2004)
All these issues and problems in the Canadian Medicare system has led to the following interpretations. That although the system is one of the most “progressively financed systems of the world, when compared to the OECD countries, it ranks low in terms of proportion of healthcare costs that are financed publicly. (Evans and Barer, 2001) The quality of satisfaction in the Canadian system has sadly continued to decrease in the recent years. This was evident by the findings that nearly half of the Canadians were not satisfied with there healthcare system in 2003.
Although these numbers were significantly less than the figures of 58% given in 2002, the general condition still needs much to improve it. It must be appreciated that Canadians are supporters of their government funding for services, and are against the idea of “rationing services or dismantling universality”. (POLLARA Report, pp. 6, 2003) the Canadians in the recent years have shown an increased liking towards paying for care, and claim that cutting costs from other non social governmental services and applying them in healthcare would be a good plan of action.
This they believe is a better alternative to increasing income based health taxes. With time the willingness to pay more for healthcare has decreased although, it is still high at 47% in 2003. What they were more willing to pay for was if there was an increase in the services that are provided and timeliness of care given. The will to pay more is the result of the Canadians opposition of the idea that healthcare services provision should be restricted or rationalized in any way.
The best quality seen in the Canadians is that they are willing to contribute if it offers them more choices and increased scope. But in return they want better information about how their money is being utilized within the healthcare system. There have been modest levels of satisfaction in this matter. The good news is that with time since 2001 there has been a slow and steady rise in the overall satisfaction levels among the Canadians in response to the various efforts the government is putting in the healthcare system. (POLLARA Report, 2003)