Why U.S. Doctors Are Moving to Canada

Dr. Emily Queenan is the most recent doctor to move from the United States to Canada, citing the U.S. healthcare system as the main reason for relocating. Disillusioned with the way many patients don't receive the care they need due to incomplete coverage, Dr. Queenan relocated from Rochester, New York to Penetanguishene, Ontario several months ago. In her mind, "the hassles of working in the dysfunctional healthcare 'system' in the U.S. have simply become too intense."

Dr. Queenan certainly isn't the first U.S. doctor to make such a move, and she will most likely not be the last. When you see the statistics and data that show how much patients pay out of pocket, it's easy to understand why some doctors would consider relocating. Private insurance rarely covers the entire bill, so patients are often required to pay hundreds--sometimes thousands--of dollars to cover the difference.

According to Queenan's article on The Huffington Post, a medical recruiter told her more than 100 doctors have moved from the United States to Windsor, Ontario in the past decade. And that's just one city. For totals, the Canadian Institute for Health Information has kept track of U.S. doctors who have relocated to Canada for the past five years:

• 2010: 88
• 2011: 63
• 2012: 76
• 2013: 92
• 2014: 116

After a few months of experience within Canada's system, Queenan has stated: "There is still this commitment to primary care--to primary universal healthcare. There is no worry that is going to go away."