Ana P. Johnson

The Canadian health care system is a publicly financed system administered by ten provincial and three territorial governments. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the universal health care system in Canada, including its history, the health status of Canadians, health care funding and spending, and health research and data collection. Health care spending in Canada amounts to 11.6% of the country’s gross domestic product and is estimated to have been $200.5 billion Canadian dollars in 2011. Hospitals account for the largest source of health care spending (29%), followed by drugs (16%) and physician spending (14%). Of the total health care spending, 70% is paid for by the public system. Due to the Canadian population being covered by the universal health care system, health data are being collected and can be used to monitor the health care system and inform evidence-based medicine.

Ankle sprains are common soft-tissue injuries that are often treated in emergency departments. These injuries can have significant consequences for the patient, including long-term morbidity and loss of productivity. The objective of this study was to examine the direct and indirect health resource utilization associated with ankle sprains. 296 adult patients with acute ankle sprains participated in the study in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Data were collected using a one-month productivity questionnaire. Overall, 11% (95% CI, 8-15%) of the participants visited a physician following the initial emergency department visit. Almost all (95%; 95% CI, 92-97%) of the participants used medications or supportive treatments and 55% (95% CI, 50-61%) reported taking time off from work, school, or housework. The use of unpaid assistance was indicated by 56% (95% CI, 50-62%). Findings from this analysis highlight the significant patient-related and health care system burden of acute ankle sprains.