Here's where comparing notes with an American friend illuminated the difference. Both of us were diagnosed with sleep apnea around the same time.Canada also topped the list for having the highest proportion of patients with long delays to see specialists, with 56 per cent waiting longer than four weeks, compared with the international average of 36 per cent, CIHI said.
In my case the waiting list for the overnight respiration / blood oxygen test was over a year. Of course I didn't wait a year; I had it done through RANA Medical within a week. $196, covered by my insurance through work. Insurance that's much cheaper than in the US because of what the public system covers. The actual cost was more, but public system pitched in what it would have cost the taxpayers had I stayed in line.
Meanwhile, it took two years for my American friend's doctor to convince his insurer that he needed the test. THEN it was done quickly. It cost his insurer $2000, and it confirmed what he and his doctor expected.
So by the stats, I had a long wait and he didn't. In reality he had a long wait and I didn't.
Again, our system is mediocre compared to Japan's or some European ones. Their high population density helps a lot.