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Canada has the lowest rate of attachment to primary care providers among OECD countries, which makes access and continuity of care problematic. To address this important issue, seven Canadian provinces have implemented centralized waiting lists (CWLs) for unattached patients in primary care. Introduced at different times, no two provinces' CWLs are exactly alike. The main goal of these CWLs is to reduce the number of unattached patients. In some provinces, CWLs also serve to monitor primary care activity or prioritize vulnerable patients. Societal pressure and broader primary care reform influenced the implementation of the CWLs in each province. Monitoring, in terms of data collected and purpose, differs between provinces. The interprovincial comparison enables identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats during implementation and at each step of the CWLs: registration, patient assessment and attachment. Common issues with CWLs across provinces include the importance of monitoring to facilitate implementation, the need for specific measures to ensure access for vulnerable and complex patients, and the shortage of primary care providers.

Canada has the lowest rate of attachment to primary care providers among OECD countries, which makes access and continuity of care problematic. To address this important issue, seven Canadian provinces have implemented centralized waiting lists (CWLs) for unattached patients in primary care. Introduced at different times, no two provinces' CWLs are exactly alike. The main goal of these CWLs is to reduce the number of unattached patients. In some provinces, CWLs also serve to monitor primary care activity or prioritize vulnerable patients. Societal pressure and broader primary care reform influenced the implementation of the CWLs in each province. Monitoring, in terms of data collected and purpose, differs between provinces. The interprovincial comparison enables identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats during implementation and at each step of the CWLs: registration, patient assessment and attachment. Common issues with CWLs across provinces include the importance of monitoring to facilitate implementation, the need for specific measures to ensure access for vulnerable and complex patients, and the shortage of primary care providers. Le taux d'inscription à un professionnel de la santé en première ligne au Canada est le plus bas parmi les pays de l'OCDE, ce qui soulève un important problème d'accessibilité et de continuité aux soins de première ligne. Pour répondre à cette préoccupation, sept provinces canadiennes ont mis en place des listes d'attente centralisées (LAC) pour les patients non-affiliés à un professionnel de la santé en première ligne. Les LAC ont été implantées à différents moments, et diffèrent beaucoup d'une province à l'autre. Le principal objectif des LAC est de diminuer le nombre de patients non-affiliés, mais dans certaines provinces elles peuvent également servir à surveiller les activités de la première ligne ou à prioriser les patients vulnérables. La pression sociale et d'importantes réformes des soins de première ligne ont influencé l'implantation des LAC. Le monitorage, en termes de données collectées et d'utilisation, diffère d'une province à l'autre. La comparaison interprovinciale permet l'identification des forces, faiblesses, opportunités et menaces à l'implantation et à chaque étape de la LAC : l'enregistrement, l'évaluation du patient et l'affiliation. L'importance de la surveillance afin de faciliter l'implantation, le besoin d'interventions spécifiques pour garantir l'accès pour les patients vulnérables et complexes et le manque de prestataire de soins de première ligne sont quelques exemples des problématiques des LAC communes à toutes les provinces.