Prioritizing the healthcare access concerns of Canadians with MS

BACKGROUND: Canadians with MS are high users of healthcare services, yet they report multiple unmet needs, high disease burden, and low satisfaction with care. Engaging patients in healthcare planning can lead to improvements in access and care. There is currently limited evidence that has harnessed the perspectives of Canadians with MS. OBJECTIVE: To identify and prioritize the healthcare access concerns of Canadians with MS. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey informed by the Concerns Report Methodology was used to address the objective. Participants were recruited through multiple methods. Descriptive statistics were used to identify the main barriers to healthcare providers, and concerns report methods were used to calculate needs indexes to prioritize concerns of participants. RESULTS: 324 Canadians with MS participated in the study between November 18, 2019 and March 27, 2020. The most pressing healthcare access concerns of Canadians with MS were related to availability of healthcare providers with MS knowledge and affordability of services that aim to improve wellness. CONCLUSION: These findings provide healthcare planners with prioritized access concerns of Canadians with MS, which can be used to guide strategic planning to improve the quality of life of these individuals.