Physicians per 100,000 Population, by Specialty

Identifying Attributes

Care Settings
Primary Care
Country
Canada
Publishing Organisation
Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)
Type of Quality Indicator
Structure
IOM Quality Dimension
Efficiency
Domain
Workforce

Defining Attributes

Definition

This indicator measures the number of physicians per 100,000 population by specialty.

Numerator

The number of active physicians (total physicians or family medicine physicians or specialist physicians) in a designated geographic area

Denominator

Population estimates for Canada, provinces, territories and health regions are as of July 1 of the reference year from Statistics Canada.

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 Non-registered physicians who requested that their information not be published as of December 31 of the reference year.

Use of Risk Adjustment
Yes
Risk Adjustments

Direct standardisation to 2021 Canadian Census data

Stratifications

Collection and Reporting Attributes

Type of Data Collection
Administrative data
Data Collection Methods

Demography division, Statistics Canada; Scott's Medical Database - Purchased annually by CIHI from Scott's MD Select. Data are collected from Jurisdictional registrars, medical schools, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

Frequency of Data Collection
Annually
Frequency of Data Collection in Days
365
Reporting Methods

CIHI Physicians dashboard - www.cihi.ca/en/physicians

Reporting Frequency
Annually
Reporting Frequency in Days
365
Indicator Has Recommended Targets
No

Source and Reference Attributes

Link to Measurement Tools
Quality Indicator Confirmed to be Part of a Program Used to Monitor Quality and Safety of Care Among Older People at a Population-Level between 2012-2022
Yes
Assessed by the Australian Consortium for Aged Care Collaborators as Generally Containing Good Properties (Importance and Scientific Acceptability)
No
Australian Consortium for Aged Care Endorsed
No
Identified by PHARMA-Care Project
No
Upload Date
02 December 2025