The Medimap Walk-in Wait Time Index shows patients had to wait an extra 12 minutes on average to see a physician in 2022 compared to 2021.
VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ – Canadians across the country had to wait on average 37 minutes to see a physician at a walk-in clinic last year, according to the latest data from Medimap, a Canadian tech company that matches patients with walk-in clinics, pharmacists and allied health professionals to simplify access to care.
The Medimap Walk-in Clinic Wait Time Index, which collects data from the majority of walk-in clinics across Canada, shows the average wait time across the country in 2022 was 12 minutes longer than in 2021.
“The drastic increase in average wait times at walk-in clinics provides further evidence that healthcare systems across the country are struggling to provide adequate care,” said Thomas Jankowski, CEO of Medimap. “While there is no single solution to fix this problem, our mission at Medimap is to work with healthcare providers, including walk-in clinics, pharmacies, hospitals and allied health-care professionals to help Canadians find the care they need when they need it.”
Medimap’s data shows wait times in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia were well above the national average, while wait times in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario were below the national average. Every province saw the average wait time at walk-in clinics increase compared to 2021.
In Nova Scotia, which had the longest average wait times, patients had to wait 83 minutes to see a doctor at a walk-in clinic, which is 39 minutes longer than in 2021. Ontario had the shortest wait times with patients waiting on average 25 minutes to see a physician in 2022, however this is still 10 minutes longer than in 2021.
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Province vs Province Comparison |
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|
Province |
Avg wait (mins) 2022 |
Avg wait (mins) 2021 |
Increase/ Decrease in wait times (+/-) |
|
NS |
83 |
44 |
+39 |
|
BC |
79 |
58 |
+21 |
|
SK |
51 |
31 |
+20 |
|
AB |
34 |
18 |
+16 |
|
MB |
31 |
20 |
+11 |
|
ON |
25 |
15 |
+10 |
|
National Avg |
37 |
25 |
+12 |
Four of the top 10 cities with the longest wait times in 2022 were located in BC, with North Vancouver and Victoria taking the top two spots with an average wait time of 160 minutes and 137 minutes, respectively. Six of the top 10 cities with the shortest wait times in 2022 were in Ontario, with Brampton recording the shortest average wait time at 10 minutes.
More details about the average wait time for walk-in clinics in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia can be found in the Medimap Walk-in Clinic Wait Time Index.
About Medimap:
Medimap’s mission is to make healthcare more convenient and accessible for Canadians. Our platform is used by thousands of walk-in medical clinics, pharmacists and allied health professionals across the country to publish their wait times online, making it easy for Canadians to find the care they need when they need it. In a couple clicks, you can find up-to-date wait times at walk-in medical clinics near you and last minute appointments with a wide variety of different healthcare providers such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, optometrists, dieticians, mental health providers, naturopaths, and dentists. Medimap is currently used by the majority of walk-in medical clinics across Canada, with operations in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
SOURCE Medimap
