Where does Canada rank in quality of healthcare?

Asked by: Hellen Murray I  |  Last update: January 7, 2026
Score: 4.6/5 (3 votes)

Across over 40 indictors measured, Canada's performance for availability and timely access to medical resources was generally below that of the average OECD country. In 2022, Canada ranked 28th (of 30) for the relative availability of doctors and 25th (of 30) for hospital beds dedicated to physical care.

Is healthcare better in the USA or Canada?

Compared to the US system, the Canadian system has lower costs, more services, universal access to health care without financial barriers, and superior health status.

What country is #1 in healthcare?

The Legatum Prosperity Index 2023

According to the index, Singapore ranks first for healthcare, followed by Japan in second place and South Korea in third. In contrast, the United States ranks much lower, coming in at 69th place in this assessment.

Where does Canada rank in the world for health care?

Canada: #25 in the 2022 World Index of Healthcare Innovation.

Is Canada's healthcare good quality?

Both the health-adjusted life expectancy tables from the World Health Organization and the Healthcare Access and Quality Index from the Global Burden of Disease Study place Canada in the top 10% of countries, above several comparators that were included in the Commonwealth Fund Report.

Ranking Doctor Specialties from BEST to WORST [Part 1]

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Is Canada healthier than America?

Results. Life expectancy in Canada is higher than in the US. For those < 40 years, there were no differences in HRQL between the US and Canada. For the 40+ group, HRQL appears to be higher in Canada.

What is the biggest problem in healthcare in Canada?

However, the health system in Canada has been facing significant challenges, such as overwhelmed emergency rooms, lack of access to a family doctor, and health care workers under enormous strain.

Why is life expectancy higher in Canada than the US?

Canadians have a universal healthcare service, which is free at the point of care, whereas Americans' access to health insurance is usually based on employment, income through Medicaid, or age through Medicare, and not universal, according to the study.

What rank is the US in healthcare?

US Health Care System Rankings

The US ranked 10th overall in health system performance, significantly lagging behind Australia, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, which were the top performers.

Which country has the best doctors in the world?

Here are the top 10 countries known to have the best doctors according to the World Population Review 2024:
  • United Kingdom. ...
  • Germany. ...
  • France. ...
  • Switzerland. ...
  • Canada. ...
  • Italy. ...
  • Australia. ...
  • Austria. Often overshadowed by other countries, Austria has highly skilled doctors, particularly in rare diseases and palliative care.

Why is the US ranked so low in healthcare?

The equity score reflects how income influences access to and patients' experience with health care. Australia and Germany rank highest. The United States and New Zealand rank last because low income affects access to care, and patients' racial or ethnic backgrounds can lead to unfair treatment, the report showed.

Does Canada have free healthcare?

2, 3 These taxation-based, publicly funded, universal programmes cover core medical and hospital services for all eligible Canadians, and are free at the point of care (figure 1 ).

Which country has the best quality of life?

  • Denmark. #1 in Quality of Life. #10 in Best Countries Overall. ...
  • Sweden. #2 in Quality of Life. #6 in Best Countries Overall. ...
  • Switzerland. #3 in Quality of Life. ...
  • Norway. #4 in Quality of Life. ...
  • Canada. #5 in Quality of Life. ...
  • Finland. #6 in Quality of Life. ...
  • Germany. #7 in Quality of Life. ...
  • Australia. #8 in Quality of Life.

Do doctors make more in Canada or USA?

The U.S. generally offers lower taxes and higher average salaries across medical specialties. Canadian doctors have lower education, insurance and operational costs.

Are surgeries free in Canada?

We're fortunate to have universal healthcare in Canada to cover medical essentials like doctors' visits, surgery and emergency medical treatment. But not everything is covered by government health insurance plans, and the rules vary from province to province1.

What country has the most advanced medical care?

The latest Best Countries rankings examined how people around the globe perceive the quality of the healthcare system in their countries of residence, and found Denmark to be perceived as having the most well-developed public healthcare system in the world.

What is the healthiest country in the world?

According to the index, Spain takes the top spot as the healthiest country in 2024. This impressive feat is attributed to a robust public healthcare system, readily available preventive care, and the widely celebrated Mediterranean diet.

What state ranks lowest in healthcare?

Minnesota is the best state for healthcare when it comes to affordability and quality and Mississippi is the worst, according to WalletHub's 2024 ranking published July 29.

Where does Canada rank in health care?

Study in Brief

In international comparisons with its peers, Canada ranks ninth out of 10 countries, performing below the international average in access to care, administrative efficiency and equity – and ranking last in timeliness. For those who can access care, the quality of care is relatively high.

Why does the US rank so low in life expectancy?

Why do Americans have a lower life expectancy than people in other rich countries, despite paying so much more for health care? The short summary of what I will discuss below is that Americans suffer higher death rates from smoking, obesity, homicides, opioid overdoses, suicides, road accidents, and infant deaths.

Why is living in Canada better than USA?

Canada boasts clean and safe cities along with free healthcare and world-class education. It also has beautiful scenery, cultural diversity and friendly citizens. Those leaving the U.S. may miss the consistently warmer weather in the southern U.S., lower taxes and cheaper living expenses.

Why is there a family doctor shortage in Canada?

Why is there a shortage of family doctors? The number of family doctors isn't keeping pace with demand. The federal government expects Canada to be short nearly 20,000 family doctors to fill job openings up to 2031. Many family doctors are retiring.

Is healthcare better in Canada or us?

Canada spends far less of its GDP on health care (10.4 percent, ver-sus 16 percent in the U.S.) yet performs better than the U.S. on two commonly cited health outcome measures, the infant mortality rate and life expectancy.