Besides improving access to surgery, the second key domain is supporting multidisciplinary care teams, as we've heard tonight.
Endometriosis can negatively impact so many aspects of life besides causing pelvic pain. It can affect sexual function. It can affect urinary and bowel function, reproductive health and mental health. A multidisciplinary team is, therefore, essential for endometriosis care. We should be emulating successful clinical models, as we've seen with cancer care, diabetes or orthopaedics.
Endometriosis is a complex and chronic condition no less deserving of such a model of care. For endometriosis, such teams would include nurse navigators, pelvic physiotherapists, nutritionists and psychologists. They would all be part of the team. Until we ensure adequate public funding for all these services, proper endometriosis care will remain accessible only to those able to pay in the private system and will remain fragmented for the rest of the population.
Finally, as we've also heard here tonight, endometriosis research is underfunded, particularly when compared to other chronic conditions. I'll put this in context: In 2022, there were approximately $4 per patient per year allocated to endometriosis research compared to $31 for diabetes or $130 for Crohn's disease, which affects less than 1% of the population. While we are encouraged by the recent announcements of federal support for endometriosis through the Endometriosis Network Canada and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, more funding allocated to research in endometriosis and women's health will help drive innovation and discovery in this field, and hopefully open up new diagnostic tests and treatment options.
To summarize, we need resources to follow the patients who are seeking care in centres with expertise in endometriosis, specifically improved access to surgery, public funding for all the allied health care workers needed for high-quality endometriosis care, and more research funding focused on endometriosis and women's health. While taking these steps will not solve the challenge of endometriosis care, it will certainly go a long way to bridge the divide between where we are today and where we should be in Canada.
Once again, we'd like to thank the House of Commons for the invitation to appear here today to advocate on behalf of our patients.