Patient Perceptions of Private Cataract Surgery in Ontario

Prolonged wait times for elective procedures have led to the integration of private healthcare options into the Canadian healthcare system, with current legislation signalling further expansion. This study aimed to assess patient perspectives on being offered private cataract surgery options through a standardized telephone script, as well as patient attitudes towards the role of private healthcare options in cataract surgery and in general. This quality improvement study employed a survey-based approach, conducting both telephone and in-person questionnaires to patients referred for cataract surgery at the Ivey Eye Institute, London, Ontario. Patients with upcoming cataract consultations were contacted using a standardized telephone script on public and private cataract surgery options and later surveyed. Simultaneously, patients attending their consultations were surveyed in person. Chi-square tests and descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Sixty-nine patients completed the surveys—20 via phone and 49 in person. Most phone respondents (95%) felt no pressure to choose private options, and all agreed it was appropriate to be informed. Overall, 66.7% of respondents supported private cataract surgery options, and 65.2% supported a role for private healthcare in general. No demographic factors were significantly associated with perceptions of private healthcare. Participants responded positively to the telephone script and showed general support for private options, demonstrating the need for additional research to ensure healthcare policy aligns with patient preferences. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine patient perspectives on private healthcare within Canada.