Canadians want Premiers to adopt Principles for Health Care Transformation

VICTORIA, BC, Jan. 16, 2012 /CNW/ - A new public opinion poll shows Canadians overwhelmingly agree that governments should adopt principles to make the health care system more centred on the needs of patients.

The poll, conducted by Ipsos Reid for the CMA, found that 96 per cent of Canadians asked either strongly (69 per cent) or somewhat (27 per cent) agreed that they would encourage their premier to adopt the principles developed by the Canadian Nurses Association and the CMA to guide efforts to transform Canada's health care system.

"Canadians are saying clearly that the principles developed by Canada's doctors and nurses and endorsed by over 70 medical, health and patient organizations provide the direction needed to advance health care transformation," said Dr. John Haggie, President of the CMA. "By endorsing these principles at the Council of the Federation meeting in Victoria, Canada's premiers can chart a course toward ensuring Canadians have the best health and health care system in the world."

A vast majority of Canadians (92 per cent) also strongly or somewhat agree that we need national standards for health care, while 81 per cent are worried that without national standards, Canadians will have different levels of care depending on where they live.

The poll also found that 96 per cent of respondents would be more confident in the outcome of the effort to transform the health care system if physicians, nurses and representatives of patient groups were involved in the development of a plan.

"Premiers need not feel they're in this alone," added Dr. Haggie. "Among patient groups, health care providers and grassroots Canadians from one end of the county to the other, there's a tremendous groundswell of support for transforming health care to make it focused on the needs of patients."

Almost three-quarters (74 per cent) of those polled believe that the federal and provincial governments share responsibility for health care. At the same time, 97 per cent indicate that the federal government's responsibility for the Canada Health Act, which ensures equal access and portability across the country, is very or somewhat important.

The poll results are based on a nationally representative sample of 1,000 Canadians 18 and older, contacted by telephone January 4-9, 2012. A sample of this size has an associated margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is the national voice of Canadian physicians. Founded in 1867, CMA's mission is to serve and unite the physicians of Canada and be the national advocate, in partnership with the people of Canada, for the highest standards of health and health care. The CMA is a voluntary professional organization representing over 75,000 of Canada's physicians and comprising 12 provincial and territorial medical associations and 51 national medical organizations.

Lucie Boileau
Canadian Medical Association
[email protected]
Tel: [phone] ext. 1266
Cell: 613-447-0866