Patients

Healthcare System:How the Public System Works Patients

Introduction to Patients

When a legal resident of Canada needs medical care, he or she presents a provincial health card, usually a plastic identification card similar to a credit card, to a physician or hospital. Patients choose their physicians, although a general practitioner may refer them to a specialist. If patients require immediate care without an appointment, they can seek admittance to any hospital emergency room or community health clinic. There, the severity of their medical need determines how long they will wait to see a nurse or doctor. Health-care provision in Canada is based on medical need rather than the ability to pay; consequently, there are often waiting lists for some elective procedures, such as cataract surgery; nonemergency surgery, such as hip replacement; and diagnostic services, such as the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In addition, medical specialists are often less available in rural and remote areas.” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

Information about Patients in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia

Guide to Patients

Law is our Passion

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This entry was last updated: August 24, 2014