The number of physicians in Canada grew in 2015 as did the overall cost of their services that reached $25-billion.

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) says there were over 82,000 doctors last year – meaning there are more doctors per person than ever in the country – 228 for every 100,000 Canadians.

The average gross clinical payment for a physician remained virtually the same at $339,000.

But the amount varied depending on the specialty.

On average, family physicians made $271,000; medical specialists $338,000 and surgical specialists $446,000.

The CIHI points out it’s important to know in most cases the average pay estimates do not include overhead costs such as staff salaries, office rent, and medical equipment and supplies.

The Institute says ”understanding the supply, payments and activities of physicians across the country helps us to understand not only how many physicians there are and how much we pay for their services, but also how health-care resources are allocated.”