By the Numbers: Healthcare in Canada, Before and After Covid
January 20, 2022
Covid-19 has changed everything, and the old normal isn’t coming back anytime soon.
The pandemic has also shown us that the “before times” were far from perfect. The changes that have rocked society, both during Covid and in the period leading up to it, give us a glimpse of what’s possible and invite us to do better.
Far from perfect
10th out of 11: Canada’s global ranking in a 2021 analysis of healthcare system performance conducted by the Commonwealth Fund.1
2: Acute-care beds per 1,000 population in Canada – significantly less than the average of 2.9 for peer countries.2
53%: Proportion of approved Canadian drugs that receive public reimbursement.3
21 months: Average time from NOC to public reimbursement of drugs in Canada.3
31%: Difference between public coverage in top OECD countries (96%) vs Canada (65%) for drugs that treat unmet needs.3
50%: Proportion of cancer patients across Canada still reporting cancelled, postponed or rescheduled cancer care appointments, 21 months after the start of the pandemic.4
Breaking records
$23 billion: Estimated 2021 expenditures associated with Covid-19 Response Funding, a new spending category within the Canadian healthcare budget.5
12%: Increase in Canadian healthcare spending between 2019 and 2020, the largest year-over-year increase in more than 30 years and largely attributable to the Covid-19 pandemic.5
$9 million: Value of Canadian Institutes for Health Information (CIHI) grant to fund the Coronavirus Variants Rapid Response Network.6
7%: Proportion of Canada’s total healthcare spend in 2021 ($308 billion) devoted to the Covid-19 response.5
2 months: Time to approve the first Covid-19 vaccine in Canada, Pfizer-BioNTech, after Pfizer’s submission in October 2020.7 An emergency order accelerated the review and authorization process, which typically takes up to a year, without compromising its rigour.8
28,876,084: Number of fully vaccinated Canadians as of November 20, 2021, less than a year after the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.9
Inspiration for change
94%: Percentage of Canadian physicians who now include virtual care as an option for patients in their practices.10
28%: Proportion of patients receiving virtual care who had drug errors detected and corrected, compared to just 4% of patients receiving traditional care, in a study comparing the two modalities.11
421%: Growth in Internet usage among people aged 65+ between 2000 (14%) and today (73%).11
21,247: Predicted excess cancer deaths in Canada in 2020-30 due to disruptions from the Covid-19 pandemic, assuming resumption of pre-pandemic treatment capacity in 2021.13
$500 million: Funds allocated in the Canadian government’s 2019 federal budget to a program for rare diseases.14
References
Mirror, mirror 2021: reflecting poorly. A report by the Commonwealth Fund, Aug. 4, 2021. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2021/aug/mirror-mirror-2021-reflecting-poorly#rank
OECD interactive tool: International comparisons – peer countries. CIHI. https://www.cihi.ca/en/oecd-interactive-tool-international-comparisons-peer-countries-canada
Hoskyn SL. Explaining public reimbursement delays for new medicines for Canadian patients. Innovative medicines Canada.
Cancer Can’t Wait Virtual Action webinar, week #2. Canadian Cancer Survivor Network. Dec. 9, 2021.
COVID-19 expected to push Canada’s health spending beyond $300 billion in 2021. CIHI. Nov. 4, 2021. https://www.cihi.ca/en/covid-19-expected-to-push-canadas-health-spending-beyond-300-billion-in-2021
U of T researchers to help form Coronavirus Variants Rapid Response Network. U of T News. March 29, 2021. https://www.utoronto.ca/news/u-t-researchers-help-form-national-coronavirus-variants-rapid-response-network
Health Canada authorizes the first Covid-19 vaccine. Government of Canada. Dec. 9, 2021. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2020/12/health-canada-authorizes-first-covid-19-vaccine0.html
Aiello R. Historic moment: Health Canada approves Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine. CTV News. Dec. 9, 2021. https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/historic-moment-health-canada-approves-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-1.5223477
Covid-19 vaccination in Canada: vaccination coverage. Government of Canada. Last updated Nov. 26, 2021, with data up to Nov. 20. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/covid-19/vaccination-coverage/
2021 national survey of Canadian physicians. Canadian Health Infoway. Aug. 9, 2021. https://www.infoway-inforoute.ca/en/component/edocman/resources/reports/benefits-evaluation/3935-2021-national-survey-of-canadian-physicians
McGillion MH et al. Post-discharge after surgery Virtual Care with Remote Automated Monitoring-1 (PVC-RAM-1) technology versus standard care: randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2021;374:n2209.
Consumer engagement with digital is shifting. Data from STI.
Magalon T et al. Predicted long-term impact of COVID-19 pandemic-related care delays on cancer incidence and mortality in Canada. MedRxiv preprint, Aug. 28, 2021. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.26.21261149v1.
Letter to the Canadian Government. Canadian Association of Rare Diseases. April 26, 2021. http://www.raredisorders.ca/content/uploads/CORD-PM-MOH-Rare-Drug-Strategy-0422021v2.pdf