"Identifying Information: Name","Physicians per 100,000 Population, by Specialty"
"Identifying Information: Short/Other Names","Not applicable"
"Identifying Information: Description","This indicator measures the number of physicians per 100,000 population by specialty."
"Background, Interpretation and Benchmarks: 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."
"Background, Interpretation and Benchmarks: Interpretation","Higher ratios are desirable."
"Background, Interpretation and Benchmarks: HSP Framework Dimension","ºìÁì½í¹Ï±¨ system resources"
"Background, Interpretation and Benchmarks: Areas of Need","Not applicable"
"Background, Interpretation and Benchmarks: Targets/Benchmarks","Not applicable"
"Available Data Years","1971
 to 2023"
"Available Data Years: Type of Year",Calendar
"Availability of Results: Geographic Coverage","All provinces/territories"
"Reporting Level/Disaggregation",National
"Reporting Level/Disaggregation: Other reporting level/disaggregation","Region (2001 to 2023)"
"Result Updates: Indicator Results","Physicians web page"
"Update Frequency","Every year"
"Result Updates: Latest Results Update Date","October 2024"
"Result Updates: Updates","Not applicable"
"Indicator Calculation: Description","Number of active physicians divided by population estimates"
"Indicator Calculation: Type of Measurement",Rate
"Indicator Calculation: Number or 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"
"Numerator: Inclusions:","Active physicians in clinical and non-clinical practice (for example, research and academia) who have an MD degree and a valid mailing addressSpecialist 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."
"Numerator: Exclusions:","Residents, physicians in the military, and semi-retired and retired physiciansNon-registered physicians who requested that their information not be published as of December 31 of the reference year"
"Method of Adjustment","Direct standardization"
"Method of Adjustment: Direct Standardization - Standard Population","Standard Population:Population estimates: Statistics Canada, 2021 census and administrative data"
"Adjustment Applied",None
"Indicator Calculation: Geographic Assignment","Place of residence or service"
"Data Sources","Demography division, Statistics Canada"
"Quality Statement: 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. ºìÁì½í¹Ï±¨has been working with the territorial governments to this end."
"Quality Statement: 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."
"Quality Statement: Comments","Not applicable"
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."