Physicians per 100,000 Population, by Specialty
Higher ratios are desirable.
Number of active physicians divided by population estimates
Population estimates for Canada, provinces, territories and health regions are as of July 1 of the reference year from Statistics Canada.
The number of active physicians (total physicians or family medicine physicians or specialist physicians) in a designated geographic area
Methodology
Name
Physicians per 100,000 Population, by Specialty
Short/Other Names
Not applicable
Description
This indicator measures the number of physicians per 100,000 population by specialty.
Rationale
Physicians play an important role in the health care system. Physicians directly influence how most health care resources are utilized. Information on physician supply and distribution will help support health decision-makers and planners to prepare for future needs.
Interpretation
Higher ratios are desirable.
HSP Framework Dimension
Health system inputs and characteristics: Health system resources
Areas of Need
Not applicable
Targets/Benchmarks
Not applicable
Available Data Years
to (calendar years)
Geographic Coverage
- All provinces/territories
Reporting Level/Disaggregation
- National
- Province/Territory
- Provider
Region (2001 to 2023)
Indicator Results
Update Frequency
Every year
Latest Results Update Date
Updates
Not applicable
Description
Number of active physicians divided by population estimates
Type of Measurement
Rate - Per 100,000 population
Denominator
Description:
Population estimates for Canada, provinces, territories and health regions are as of July 1 of the reference year from Statistics Canada.
Numerator
Description:
The number of active physicians (total physicians or family medicine physicians or specialist physicians) in a designated geographic area
Inclusions:
- Active physicians in clinical and non-clinical practice (for example, research and academia) who have an MD degree and a valid mailing address
- Specialist physicians include certificants of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and/or the Collège des médecins du Québec. Family medicine physicians include general practitioners, as well as family medicine specialists and emergency family medicine specialists who are certificants of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), unless noted otherwise.
Exclusions:
- Residents, physicians in the military, and semi-retired and retired physicians
- Non-registered physicians who requested that their information not be published as of December 31 of the reference year
Method of Adjustment
Direct standardization
Standard Population:
Population estimates: Statistics Canada, 2021 census and administrative data
Adjustment Applied
None
Geographic Assignment
Place of residence or service
Data Sources
- Demography division, Statistics Canada
- SMDB
Caveats and Limitations
The accuracy of the number of active physicians depends greatly on the validity of physicians' mailing addresses. Under-coverage issues may occur when physicians work in locum positions, since they may change locations frequently. Scott's Directories cannot add locum physicians to its "active" physicians group if there is insufficient information on them. Therefore, these physicians will be absent from the Scott's Medical Database (SMDB) counts. When sufficient address information is available, locum physicians are assigned to just one province or territory within the SMDB, even if they do locum work in multiple jurisdictions.
The number of physicians per 100,000 population in the territories includes only those who reside in the territory. If itinerant physicians were also included, this would provide a more comprehensive estimate of the total physician supply. CIHI has been working with the territorial governments to this end.
Trending Issues
Prior to the 2017 data year, Scott’s Directories sent a biannual questionnaire to all active physicians (individuals with a Doctor of Medicine [MD] degree who have a valid mailing address) in its database in order to confirm, update and add to existing physician information. Scott’s Directories discontinued the questionnaire during data collection for the 2017 data year, and information that was previously acquired through the physician questionnaire is no longer available.
References
- Statistics Canada, Centre for Demography. Population estimates, July 1 (based on 2021 census), by age group and gender for Canada, provinces, territories, health regions.
- Statistics Canada. Postal CodeOM Conversion File (PCCF). 2023.
How to cite:
Canadian Institute for Health Information. Physicians per 100,000 Population, by Specialty. Accessed April 25, 2025.
If you would like CIHI information in a different format, visit our Accessibility page.
Comments
Not applicable