We're showing definite improvements, but according to The Canadian Institute for Health Information's (CIHI) sixth annual report released Monday, we're still at the bottom of the pack when it comes to surgical wait times in Canada.
The CIHI report includes wait time information from 2010 on five priority areas identified by Canada's health ministers in 2004: Cancer treatment, cardiac care, diagnostic imaging, joint replacement and sight restoration.
Nationally, more than 80 per cent of patients receive these procedures within medically recommended wait times. Provincially though, the numbers vary widely, with Saskatchewan ranking in the bottom three in terms of joint replacements (69 per cent for hip replacements and 60 per cent for knee replacement), hip fracture repairs (72 per cent) and cataract surgeries (62 per cent).
On the bright side, Saskatchewan was much closer to the national numbers for bypass surgeries and radiation therapy. Nationally, 99 per cent of patients receive bypass surgery within the benchmark time (100 per cent in Saskatchewan) and 98 per cent receive radiation therapy within the benchmark time (97 per cent in Saskatchewan).
"I think we're seeing improvement right across the board," says Deb Jordan, executive director of acute and emergency services with the Ministry of Health. "Certainly that has been the focus of the health system - the providers, physicians, health regions, staff, the ministry. There has been a very concerted effort."
It's been the focus and it needs to stay the focus. As a "have" province, it's time to climb to the top of the pack.
