Long waits for surgery and medical treatment cost Canadians nearly $4.1 billion in lost wages, productivity, and leisure time in 2021, a new study by think tank Fraser Institute estimates.
Published on April 20, the study says about 1.4 million Canadians were waiting for treatment last year, and each lost on average $2,848 from lost wages and reduced productivity during working hours.
“While we are constantly reminded of the consequences of COVID-19, less discussed are the consequences of unreasonable waits for surgery which can range from physical pain and psychological distress for some, to permanent disability and death for others,” study co-author Bacchus Barua, director of health policy studies at the Fraser Institute, said in a press release.
…