A new poll reveals Canadians have mixed emotions about their priorities for Canada's health-care system.

According to the recent study, conducted by Angus Reid on behalf of Agfa HealthCare, the number one health care concern for Canadians is hospital wait times. Yet, almost half of all Canadians said they're willing to wait up to three weeks to receive test results.

"With the current shortage of health-care professionals in Canada, it's not at all surprising that the majority of Canadians are concerned about hospital wait times," said Dave Wilson, vice president of Agfa HealthCare Canada. "What is surprising is that Canadians appear to be content to wait almost a month for test results."

The study also showed a clash between men and women. It appears more males are likely to worry about hospital wait times than females.

The poll also found that Canadians are not only confused about what they want, but they are also unsure of what they currently have.

Close to 50 per cent of respondents feel the most important thing for their doctor was to have a comprehensive view of their medical history, however, one third of Canadians don't know if they have an electronic health record, which provides doctors with a secure digital record of a patient's history.

Only 36 per cent of Canadians believe they do have an electronic health record, and that is compared to Canada Health Infoway's statistics that show it is currently at 17 per cent.

But Canadians are clear on one thing. The poll found almost half of respondents believe the number one role technology plays in health care is to help save lives, and nearly one third believe that technology can help speed wait times in hospitals and health-care facilities. 

Wilson said while it's unreasonable to think wait time issues can be solved immediatley, technology plays a huge role and can have the impact that Canada's health-care system needs right now.

"Offering health-care workers the ability to do more with less time, improve efficiencies and deliver the best possible patient care - technology truly can transform today's health-care organizations," said Wilson. 

Additionally, survey results reveal that 55 per cent Canadians are not willing to pay for treatment at a private facility to skip the line, regardless of their level of income.

The study, conducted from June 24 to June 25, polled 1,000 adult Canadians.