NLIS 6
September 22, 2005
(Health and Community Services)
 

Progress being made in addressing health wait times

Health and Community Services Minister John Ottenheimer today provided an update on progress being made in addressing wait times for medical procedures in the province. Further to its investment of $23.2 million in Budget 2005 to improve access to key services, government is acting aggressively to ensure that people who are suffering from serious health problems don�t have to wait longer than necessary for the appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

�Our government is committed to improving access to quality health care and to updating the public in a timely manner on the progress that is being made,� said Minister Ottenheimer. �I am pleased to report that we are already seeing a significant reduction in the number of people waiting for cardiac procedures and that our wait times are consistent with other jurisdictions. I am encouraged by this progress and am confident that as our new diagnostic equipment becomes operational, we will continue to see progress in addressing wait times.�

Cardiac care and cancer treatments are two of the areas where access to services has improved. The wait list for cardiac surgery has decreased from approximately 250 cases earlier this year to 100 cases to the end of August. This can be attributed to a number of factors, including a new aggressive wait list management system at Eastern Health. In addition, the use of new technologies, drugs and alternate medical procedures is resulting in improvements in wait times and less reliance on this procedure for cardiac patients. As of August 2005, the provincial elective cardiac surgery wait time for new patients is three months, which is consistent with wait times in other jurisdictions.

Minister Ottenheimer noted that for emergency and urgency cases, patients receive immediate attention.

Through more advanced diagnostic procedures, patient awareness and education, there has been an increase in early detection of cancers. Through a new chemotherapy home infusion pilot project implemented in March 2005, eligible patients can have their chemotherapy initiated in a hospital and then return home while the therapy is being administered. This eliminates the need for hospitalization for 48 to 72 hours and patients can continue with their daily life. To date, 26 patients have been eligible for the program. The result is a better quality of life for the patient and improved access for patients requiring acute care services.

Government invested an additional $113 million in health care funding in Budget 2005, bringing our total provincial investment in healthcare to $1.75 billion, representing a seven per cent increase over last year�s budget. Through the purchase of equipment, modernization of diagnostic and medical equipment and the expansion of select services in all of the province�s major health care centres, government has added 43,344 MRI, CT, cardiac and other key diagnostic procedures, surgeries, as well as cancer treatments. A second MRI has been purchased for St. John�s, delivering 2,500 new exams a year and reducing wait times by four months; while two existing CT Scanners at the Health Sciences Centre and St. Clare�s Hospital will be replaced, delivering 4,000 more exams a year and shortening wait times to two weeks. In addition, government recently announced a $1.05 million investment towards the purchase of a new CT Scanner to be located in the Burin Peninsula Health Care Centre, delivering an expected 1,800 exams annually once the equipment becomes operational in 2006.

Minister Ottenheimer noted that installation of new diagnostic equipment is continuing. �The two new CT scanners are currently being installed at the Health Sciences Centre and St. Clare�s Hospital in St. John�s and are expected to be operational by October 2005, while the new MRI in St. John�s is expected to be operational early in the new year,� said Minister Ottenheimer. �Our investment in these new pieces of medical equipment will help to improve access to diagnostic procedures once the equipment is operational.�

The minister added that the department is currently recruiting a provincial wait time coordinator and is completing baseline assessment of wait times in the province. �Government is working in partnership with health care boards and health care professionals in identifying challenges that exist in the health care system and working toward addressing them,� said Minister Ottenheimer. �Through further collaboration and investment, along with increased health promotion, we will continue to advance our vision for a reformed health care system.�

In addition to its investment in acute health care, government allocated $2.4 million in Budget 2005 to support a wellness strategy to focus on communities and populations for the prevention of disease, promotion of health and protection of the public.

One of the commitments of the 2004 First Ministers� (FMM) Health Accord signed in September 2004 by Premier Williams and all other first ministers was to improve access to health services in priority areas such as cancer, heart, diagnostic imaging, joint replacements and sight restoration. Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Health will meet with their federal counterpart next month in Toronto to highlight progress to date.

Media contact: Tansy Mundon, Communications, (709) 729-0928, 685-1741

2005 09 22                           1:05 p.m.


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