People bitch and moan about the Canadian system for probably one big reason: elective surgery waiting times. The US does better in elective waiting times, but in almost all other markers, overall, Canada does better. (Elective surgeries are ones that are not urgent. Emergency surgeries are done just as emergently in the US as they are in Canada. Elective surgeries, including things like hip replacements and knee replacements, are obviously important to be done soon, because they cause a lot of quality of life issues for patients.)

The Globe and Mail has a report detailing a system that has
The cut waiting times for knees and hips from 35 weeks to 6 ! It involves patient-centered care, and having a dedicated staff member help patients get all the necessary tests and appointments setup quickly so the surgery can then be performed soon after.

Go Canada!

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