Annual report suggests future healthcare performance will be measured not only by access to care, but by how confidently Canadians can navigate it.

TORONTO, July 14, 2026 /CNW/ - The 2026 Healthcare Assistance Index™, released today by Novus Health, suggests Canada's healthcare conversation is entering a new chapter.

While traditional measures such as healthcare spending, wait times and provider supply remain essential indicators of system performance, this year's report finds that Canadians increasingly need support understanding their healthcare options, coordinating services and determining what to do next within an increasingly complex healthcare system.

Published annually, the Healthcare Assistance Index measures Canada's ability to help individuals access, understand, navigate, coordinate and confidently utilize healthcare services. It evaluates the dimensions of healthcare performance that are often discussed but rarely measured.

The 2026 report classifies Canada's healthcare system as "Functional but Difficult to Navigate," reflecting a system that continues to deliver high-quality care while becoming increasingly complex for many Canadians to navigate successfully.

"Canada's healthcare system has never offered more services, more technology or more ways to access care," said Jamie Marcellus, Chief Executive Officer of Novus Health. "Access remains critically important, but access alone no longer guarantees confidence. Canadians increasingly find themselves asking: Where should I go? What are my options? Am I making the right decision? We believe helping people answer those questions represents one of the next great opportunities to improve healthcare."

The report identifies several encouraging developments across Canada's healthcare landscape. Digital Health Access recorded the strongest improvement of any indicator measured in 2025, reflecting continued expansion of virtual care, pharmacy-based services, and digital health technologies. Health Literacy & Understanding and Benefits & Healthcare Integration also improved, suggesting Canadians are gaining better access to health information and increasingly connected support through employer sponsored benefits.

The report also highlights several persistent challenges. Approximately 5.9 million Canadians remain without access to a regular primary care provider, specialist wait times remain near historic highs, and confidence in healthcare decision making declined despite continued growth in healthcare resources and digital tools.

Rather than signaling a healthcare system in decline, the report suggests Canada's next opportunity lies in improving Healthcare Assistance, defined as the guidance, coordination and support that help individuals successfully move through an increasingly fragmented healthcare system.

"Healthcare is becoming easier to access, but harder to navigate," added Marcellus. "The future of healthcare will not be defined simply by how many services exist. It will be defined by how effectively people can understand those services, connect them together and confidently determine what to do next. Improving Healthcare Assistance has the potential to strengthen the experience for patients while creating value for employers, insurers and the healthcare system as a whole."

Looking ahead, the Healthcare Assistance Index forecasts modest improvement in 2026, driven by continued gains in digital health, care navigation, health literacy, benefits integration and care coordination. These improvements are expected to offset ongoing pressures related to primary care attachment and timely access to care.

The Healthcare Assistance Index™ is published annually to benchmark Canada's performance and monitor emerging trends shaping the future of healthcare, employee benefits and member experience.

Key Findings

• Canada's healthcare system is classified as "Functional but Difficult to Navigate."
• Digital Health Access recorded the largest year over year improvement.
• Health Literacy & Understanding and Benefits & Healthcare Integration both improved.
• Approximately 5.9 million Canadians remain without a regular primary care provider.
• Confidence in healthcare decision making declined despite expanding healthcare resources.
• Canada's Healthcare Assistance performance is forecast to improve in 2026 as navigation, coordination and healthcare confidence continue to strengthen.

About the Healthcare Assistance Index™

The Healthcare Assistance Index™ is an annual benchmark developed by Novus Health that measures Canada's ability to help individuals access, understand, navigate, coordinate and confidently utilize healthcare services. Unlike traditional healthcare metrics that focus primarily on spending, utilization or provider supply, the Index evaluates healthcare performance across ten indicators spanning access, navigation, coordination and confidence.

About Novus Health

Novus Health is a Canadian healthcare assistance company that helps employers, insurers and their members better understand, navigate and access healthcare. Through healthcare navigation, health coaching, Medical Second Opinion, virtual primary care and digital health solutions, Novus Health supports millions of Canadians in making more informed and confident healthcare decisions.

SOURCE Novus Health