severely impacted Canadian health care and that the sector is in need of potential improvement.
According to the survey results, the majority (76%) of Canadians are happy with their health care experience, and less than half report safe care, and just four out of ten report feeling comfortable throughout their healthcare visits. However, these outcomes are poor for marginalized Canadians. Around two-thirds of BIPOC, LGBTQ2+, or physically challenged report feeling unsafe, unheard, unrespected, uncomfortable, or unconfident in their health care encounters.
When asked for a possible solution that would have the greatest impact, the following opinions came out on top. According to the respondents, obtaining the finest therapy available for the disease at hand, being able to see a specialist sooner, having appropriate ER and appointment wait times, and health-care personnel who listen attentively can all be possible solutions.
Dr. Tim Rutledge, President and CEO of Unity Health Toronto, expressed delight over the launch and spoke about the need for standard healthcare. He said, “Every Canadian deserves a health-care experience where patients and their loved ones feel comforted when they’re at their most vulnerable, connected to the team who cares for them, and confident in their treatment – no matter who they are or where they come from”. He added, “Today, with the official launch of HUMANCARE, we celebrate a major step in our journey to reinvent the patient experience.”
HUMANCARE will remove obstacles to care, reduce wait times, and guarantee that therapy decisions are made in consultation with patients and family members. Being one of the top research hospitals in Canada, St. Michael’s will accelerate discovery and innovation through the establishment of a world-first Care Experience Institute with 11 specialty centers dedicated to research, education, and programs in all aspects of the healthcare experience, while also leveraging the power of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics.
Lili Litwin, President of St. Michael’s Foundation, spoke about the goal of the campaign. She said, “HUMANCARE is more than a campaign. It’s a $1-billion movement to create – alongside our patients and their families – a global framework and standard for the patient experience that doesn’t yet exist. With the support of our donors, St. Michael’s Foundation will stop at nothing to champion this change”.
Between July 20 and August 5, 2021, St. Michael’s Foundation commissioned Leger Canada to carry out an online national survey involving 1,926 Canadians who are aged above 18 to gain a better knowledge of the national healthcare experience. Additionally, the survey also involved indigenous people, racialized people, gender-diverse Canadians, disabled Canadians, and Canadians who use substances.
