The pandemic has worsened wait times in Canada
In this challenging environment, avoiding unnecessary delay is key. Medical Confidence, CloudMD’s healthcare navigation provider, can help. Empire Life added this service to its suite of disability management tools in October, 2021.
A CIHI study conducted before the pandemic1 found that wait times for specialists and non-emergency surgeries are higher in Canada than in many other developed countries. Accordingly, 56% of Canadians waited four weeks or longer to see a specialist compared to the average of 36% for other countries. COVID-19 has made the situation worse. Compared to 2019, the first 16 months of the pandemic saw almost 560,000 fewer surgeries performed.2
Insurers have seen a six-month reduction in duration of disability, on average
Medical Confidence reduces the wait for specialist care and treatment by an average of 220 days3 by identifying optimal specialists and removing the numerous causes for delay in our healthcare system. Plan members also feel empowered and engaged in their treatment plan, while being provided the care and resources they need throughout their healthcare journey. Medical Confidence works in alignment with the Canada Health Act and provincial healthcare systems and is delivered in partnership with the plan member’s primary care practitioner.
Medical Confidence reduces the wait for specialist care and treatment by an average of 220 days
"Delayed access to appropriate treatment can be devastating—leaving people in pain or discomfort, causing increased stress and anxiety, and prolonging time off work,” said Vanessa Lycos, Vice-president of Group Product and Marketing at Empire Life. “No wonder 55% of Canadian primary care physicians chose reducing wait times for specialists and elective surgery as the top priority when it comes to improving quality of care, in 2019. We’re delighted to be adding this service to our disability management toolkit and believe it will provide enormous value to our plan members and plan sponsors."
1. Canadian Institute for Health Information. “How Canada Compares: Results From The Commonwealth Fund’s 2016 International Health Policy Survey of Adults in 11 Countries — Accessible Report”. 2017.
2. Canadian Institute for Health Information. “Overview: COVID-19’s impact on health care systems.” 2021
3. Medical Confidence. 2021
