Canada is slow to adopt the latest medical technology forcing Canadian patients to rely on old and often outdated medical equipment for treatment, says a new study from independent research organization the Fraser Institute.

The peer-reviewed study, Medical Technology in Canada, evaluates the availability of medical technology in Canada compared to other nations within the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), measures the age and sophistication of medical technology in Canada, and measures the stock of available cutting-edge medical technology in Canada’s five largest cities: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Calgary. This study focuses principally on technologies in the diagnostic imaging, laboratory diagnostic, surgical, and patient services areas.

• Nadeem Esmail, Director of Health System Performance Studies at The Fraser Institute