Viewing themselves more and more as consumers of health care, rather than patients, more and more Canadians like active customers everywhere are demanding better service.

A Deloitte Centre for Health Solutions study of the attitudes of over 2,000-adults reports, Canadians are demanding quicker and more convenient access to care, including health records and online services like scheduling or viewing test results.

A majority of them are more than willing to allow the government to widen private health care, so long as these private services don not adversely impact the publicly funded system.

While, survey results showed most of them to be relatively satisfied with the health system, only 37% understood how it worked, with 60% reporting going online for information on treatment.

More than half those surveyed wanted access to a secure Internet site allowing them to schedule doctors’ visits, view their own medical records, even order their own prescription refills.

Three quarters were ‘highly satisfied’ with the care provided by their family physician, with just 5% switching doctors they were unhappy.

Remaining loyal to the public health-care system, one-quarter of Canadians said they would pay for private services if it meant improved quality of care, while 56% supported increasing private care without it impacting the public system; half backed more private services for reducing waiting times for care.

The survey was conducted on 2,034-adults in November, 2008.