The Appointment Workaround Economy

Getting a doctor's appointment in Canada can be quite a project. When people can't be seen quickly, they don't simply wait. They improvise, stitching together an informal system of workarounds to get the care they need. A survey of 1,158 Canadian adults explored how often people struggle to be seen, what they do instead, the care they put off, and why so many would rather handle it online.

Key takeaways

• Nearly 3 in 4 Canadians (73%) have struggled to get timely medical care in the past year.
• About 2 in 3 Canadians (66%) have decided not to book a doctor's appointment because they expected it would be too hard to get seen.
• Nearly 1 in 2 Canadians (48%) have self-diagnosed online or with AI when they couldn't get a doctor's appointment.
• Nearly 1 in 3 Canadians (30%) have used the emergency room because they couldn't get a doctor's appointment.
• Nearly 3 in 10 Canadians (28%) have skipped needed care entirely due to wait times.
• 3 in 4 Canadians (75%) would choose virtual care over waiting for an in-person doctor's appointment.

When getting care means finding a workaround

When Canadians can't be seen in time, most have a backup plan, and many lean on the internet to fill the gap.

• More than half of Canadians (57%) say getting care takes a workaround or backup plan, including 13% who say it almost always does and 3% who have given up on the usual channels.
• Nearly 1 in 2 Canadians who used a workaround (47%) still needed to see a provider afterward, and 31% say it fully resolved the issue.
• Nearly 1 in 2 Canadians (45%) have missed work because of a care delay, averaging about 5 days among those affected.
• More than half of Canadians (53%) have paid out of pocket due to a care delay, with a median payment of $300 among those who did.
• Gen Z (71%), millennials (67%), Gen X (59%), and baby boomers (46%) have avoided booking a needed doctor's appointment.
• Casually dating Canadians are the most likely of any relationship group to have skipped booking altogether (79%).
• Gen Z (48%), millennials (47%), Gen X (51%), and baby boomers (52%) have self-diagnosed online or with AI.
• Urban Canadians are more likely to have skipped care entirely (30%) than suburban or rural residents (both 25%).
• Gen Z (28%), millennials (19%), Gen X (17%), and baby boomers (7%) have delayed addressing a mental health concern.
• Gen Z (16%), millennials (15%), Gen X (8%), and baby boomers (2%) have delayed getting care for a sexual or reproductive health issue.
• Gen Z (25%), millennials (23%), Gen X (23%), and baby boomers (6%) have put off care for something they felt embarrassed to talk about with a provider.
• More than 2 in 5 rural Canadians (42%) say waiting for care frequently worsened their stress or anxiety.
• Gen Z (30%), millennials (30%), Gen X (21%), and baby boomers (9%) say a medical care delay has frequently interfered with their work.

In Manitoba and Saskatchewan:

• Nearly 3 in 4 Manitoba residents (73%) have struggled to get timely care in the past year.
• More than 2 in 3 Manitoba residents (68%) have avoided booking a doctor's appointment altogether.
• More than half of Manitoba residents (54%) have used a walk-in clinic as a workaround.
• More than 4 in 5 Saskatchewan residents (81%) have struggled to get timely care in the past year.
• Nearly 4 in 5 Saskatchewan residents (79%) have avoided booking a doctor's appointment altogether.
• More than 2 in 5 Saskatchewan residents (42%) say waiting for care frequently worsened their stress or anxiety.

When the wait sends people to the emergency room

When they can't get an appointment, some Canadians turn to the emergency room simply to be seen faster.

• The typical Canadian waited a median of 5 days for their last routine doctor's appointment, or 8 days on average once longer waits are counted.
• More than 1 in 5 Canadians (21%) say their default when they can't get care is to wait it out or go without care.
• Median waits ranged from 13 days in Quebec to just 3 days in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
• Rural Canadians are nearly twice as likely as city residents to have used the ER as a workaround (57% vs. 29%).
• Gen Z (23%), millennials (33%), Gen X (34%), and baby boomers (41%) have used the ER as a workaround.
• Rural Canadians are the least confident they could be seen within a week (30% not confident).

In Manitoba and Saskatchewan:

• Nearly 1 in 4 Manitoba residents (23%) have used the emergency room because they couldn't get a doctor's appointment.
• Just 5% of Manitoba residents name the emergency room as their usual go-to when they can't get care.
• About 1 in 4 Manitoba residents (24%) are not confident they could be seen within a week.
• Nearly 3 in 10 Saskatchewan residents (29%) have used the emergency room because they couldn't get a doctor's appointment.
• Nearly 1 in 5 Saskatchewan residents (17%) name the emergency room as their usual go-to when they can't get care.
• 1 in 4 Saskatchewan residents (25%) are not confident they could be seen within a week.

Why Canadians are ready to move care online

Faced with wait times and workarounds, many Canadians are open to receiving care and treatment without an in-person visit.

• 3 in 4 Canadians (75%) would choose virtual care over waiting, with 35% very likely and 12% unlikely to do so.
• 1 in 3 Canadians (33%) have considered or looked into a weight loss treatment, but just 12% have used one.
• Rural Canadians are more likely than city residents to choose virtual care (83% vs. 73%).
• Gen Z (71%), millennials (79%), Gen X (69%), and baby boomers (74%) would choose virtual care over waiting.
• Openness to virtual care is highest in British Columbia (80%) and lowest in Saskatchewan (68%).
• Gen Z (29%), millennials (36%), Gen X (34%), and baby boomers (26%) have used or considered weight loss medication.
• Gen Z (30%), millennials (39%), Gen X (31%), and baby boomers (26%) would consider getting weight loss medication through an online service.
• Cost is the top barrier to accessing weight loss medication, according to each generation: Gen Z (16%), millennials (18%), Gen X (18%), and baby boomers (19%).
• Gen Z (15%), millennials (13%), Gen X (7%), and baby boomers (11%) are unsure whether they qualify for weight loss medication.
• Gen Z (29%), millennials (34%), Gen X (20%), and baby boomers (17%) would be more likely to pursue weight loss treatment if it could be done privately.

In Manitoba and Saskatchewan:

• Nearly 3 in 4 Manitoba residents (74%) would choose virtual care over waiting.
• About 2 in 5 Manitoba residents (39%) have used or considered using a weight loss medication.
• More than 2 in 5 Manitoba residents (43%) would consider obtaining weight loss medication through an online service.
• More than 2 in 3 Saskatchewan residents (68%) would choose virtual care over waiting.
• More than 2 in 5 Saskatchewan residents (44%) have used or considered using a weight loss medication.
• More than 2 in 5 Saskatchewan residents (44%) would be more likely to pursue treatment if it were easier to access.

Methodology

MedExpress commissioned an online survey of 1,158 Canadian adults in 2026 to explore attitudes, behaviours, and personal experiences related to accessing medical care, including the wait times they face, the workarounds they turn to when they cannot be seen in time, the care they delay or avoid, and their views on virtual care and prescription weight loss treatment. Respondents were screened for valid and unique participation. Generationally, respondents were 48% millennials, 34% Gen Z, 13% Gen X, and 5% baby boomers.

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