Maple Report: More than half of Canadian patients and families report being left without adequate updates while waiting for care

New national research reveals the hidden workload, uncertainty, and emotional toll experienced by patients and families in the countless hours between care.

TORONTO, Nov. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new report titled The Space Between Care from Maple, Canada’s leading virtual healthcare platform, reveals that 85 per cent of Canadians experienced waiting, care coordination or other challenges between healthcare interactions in the past two years. Among those affected, nearly two-thirds felt primarily responsible for keeping care moving forward, taking on work such as following up on test results, coordinating appointments, tracking medications and figuring out next steps.

Based on a national survey of 1,527 Canadians conducted among members of the Angus Reid Forum, The Space Between Care examines the critical gaps patients and families encounter across their care journeys. While wait times and care transitions are often measured in Canada, this report explores the hidden workload and emotional strain Canadians endure in the in-between, waiting for tests, referrals, and treatments—revealing how persistent gaps leave individuals to navigate an overburdened system on their own.

“Health care doesn't stop when an appointment ends, but for too many Canadians, that's when they're left to figure things out on their own,” said Dr. Brett Belchetz, Maple's CEO and co-founder. “Our findings show that patients and families are taking on significant responsibility to keep their care moving, from following up on test results to coordinating appointments and managing symptoms. It's a burden that shouldn't fall on them alone.”

Key findings from the report include:

• 63 per cent of affected Canadians felt personally responsible for keeping their care moving forward.
• 56 per cent did not receive adequate updates while waiting for care, and 44 per cent did not feel supported between health-care interactions.
• 50 per cent of Canadians managing care for someone else did not feel supported between health-care interactions.
• 24 per cent reported worsening symptoms or health conditions while waiting.

This lack of continuity and support takes a heavy toll on the physical and mental health, as well as daily life of Canadians. Keeping care moving requires significant practical labour that impacts productivity, with 23 per cent of respondents reporting reduced concentration at work or school. Furthermore, 18 per cent missed work or school, and 15 per cent lost income or incurred additional expenses during their wait for care.

The report also reveals that this administrative and emotional burden is not felt equally. Women, caregivers, and Canadians managing chronic or complex conditions face the greatest obstacles. Among women, 62 per cent reported receiving inadequate updates while waiting for care, compared to 50 per cent of men. Canadians coordinating care for aging parents were particularly vulnerable, with 70 per cent reporting heightened stress and anxiety.

Making support part of the care journey

While the challenges are significant, the findings also point to clear opportunities for improvement. With 81 per cent of Canadians surveyed believing technology-enabled care could help reduce the burden between appointments, the report highlights the opportunity for health-care providers, governments, employers, and insurers to improve communication, coordination, and continuity of care.

For employers, insurers and plan sponsors, this extends to helping Canadians access care through their health benefits. While 43 per cent of respondents believe benefits make timely care easier to access, 45 per cent did not find that their extended health benefits did so. This points to an opportunity to strengthen the support available through benefit plans, while simultaneously helping Canadians better understand their coverage and how to use it throughout their care journey.

The Space Between Care is the fifth report in Maple's Care Up Close research series, building on previous research (Health on Hold, Closing the Care Gap, The Cost of Caring, and Living with Complexity) that explored barriers to accessing care and managing complex health needs. The latest findings expand the national dialogue from episodic healthcare access to the essential need for continuous, supported patient navigation.

Media Contact
Jamie-lee Common
Craft Public Relations
jamie-lee@craftpublicrelations.com

Survey Methodology

These findings are from a survey conducted by Maple from September 11 to 16, 2026, among a representative sample of 1,527 online Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About Maple

Maple is Canada’s leading on-demand healthcare platform, built to connect patients with Canadian-licensed doctors and nurse practitioners anytime, anywhere. Since 2015, we’ve been guided by our purpose to meet the world’s healthcare needs. Today, we’re proud to give over eight million people access to same-day, proactive and ongoing care via secure text, audio or video. We provide healthcare directly to patients through our membership and care programs like Maple Beyond ADHD. We also work with over seven thousand business and government partners to deliver scalable, secure and integrated healthcare programs. Maple is proudly headquartered in Toronto, Canada. To learn more, visit getmaple.ca.