Province Continues Commitment to Wait Time Benchmarks

A high proportion of patients in Newfoundland and Labrador continue to receive timely access to key priority health services with established national wait time benchmarks. These include curative radiotherapy, coronary bypass surgery, cataract surgery, hip and knee replacement, hip fracture repair and diagnostics. The Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services, today released the statistics for the two quarters covering the period from October 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009.

�The Provincial Government continues to make wait time reduction a priority in the nationally agreed wait time benchmark areas,� said Minister Kennedy. �While we see fluctuations in wait times from one quarter to another, in general our province is performing very well in these priority areas, providing timely access to treatment for residents of Newfoundland and Labrador.�

Curative Radiotherapy
Patients continue to access curative radiation treatment within the benchmark target of 28 days. The proportion of breast, lung, prostate and colorectal patients treated within the benchmark target fell slightly to 83.2 per cent in the third quarter, but increased to 92.8 per cent in the fourth quarter. During the third quarter, some patients chose to postpone the start of treatment over Christmas, while the recruitment of two new radiation oncologists meant that more patients were seen in a shorter timeframe in the fourth quarter, which resulted in a peak in the number of patients ready to begin treatment.

Cardiac Bypass
Nine out of 10 patients underwent cardiac bypass surgery within the recommended benchmark timeframe, as has been the case since 2006-07. During both quarters, 92.9 to 100 per cent of 243 open heart cases were completed within the 182-day benchmark.

Cataract Removal
Close to 2,400 cataract procedures were performed during both quarters combined. Eastern Health completed 79.7 to 84.8 per cent of 1,578 cataract surgeries within the 112-day benchmark. Central Health performed nearly 450 cases, with 98.7 to 100 per cent completed in 112 days. Western Health completed 94.1 to 95.3 per cent of 251 cases within 112 days in Labrador-Grenfell Health; the visiting specialist performed 73.3 to 94.3 per cent of 85 cases within the benchmark target.

Hip Replacement
In both quarters combined, close to 180 hip replacement surgeries were performed. Eastern Health performed 63 to 75.9 per cent of 108 hip surgeries within the 182-day benchmark target. Central Health performed 100 per cent of 33 cases and Western Health completed 91 to 91.7 of 23 hip replacements within the 182-day timeframe. Labrador-Grenfell Health performed a low number of cases during this timeframe, therefore data is not reported.

Knee Replacement
Across the province, 315 knee replacements were performed. The majority of cases were performed in eastern region where the demand is also the highest. In both quarters, wait times show Eastern Health performed 56 to 62.3 per cent of 161 knee replacements within the 182-day benchmark. Central Health completed 100 per cent of 82 knee operations, and Western Health completed 96.2 to 100 per cent of 50 knee surgeries within 182 days. Labrador-Grenfell Health performed 62.5 to 75 per cent of 22 knee replacements within the benchmark and 100 per cent within 216 to 277 days.

Hip Fracture Repair
The four regions performed more than 200 hip fracture operations during this time. Eastern Health performed 80.3 to 90 per cent of hip repairs within the 48-hour target. Central Health surpassed the benchmark by completing 100 per cent of cases in 24 hours in the third quarter, and all cases within 48 hours in the fourth quarter. Western Health performed 80 to 81 per cent within 48 hours, while Labrador Grenfell data is not reported in the third quarter and no hip fixations were performed in the fourth quarter.

Breast Screening
Biennial participation rates for organized breast screening for women aged 50 to 69, ranged from 54 per cent uptake in Eastern and Western regions, and a 71 per cent uptake in central region.

Cervical Screening
Historically, cervical screening data are updated on an annual basis. In keeping with the program�s initiatives to enhance the timeliness of benchmark reporting, participation rates for 2008 have been compiled for release. Consistent with the previous two years, the uptake or participation rate among women aged 20 to 69 is 42 per cent. This number represents the provincial benchmark of one pap test per year, as opposed to the national benchmark of one test every three years.

Wait time starts with the decision to treat, which is when the patient and the appropriate physician agree to a particular service, and the patient is ready to receive the service. Wait time stops when the patient receives the service, or the initial service in a series. The wait is then measured in calendar days between start and stop. In the case of the hip fracture benchmark, the wait time clock is turned on at the date and time of registration in the emergency department of an orthopedic care centre and turned off at the date and time of surgery. This benchmark is then calculated in hours and minutes, in order to precisely measure time to surgical access for this emergent procedure.

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Media contact:
Tansy Mundon
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 685-2646
tansymundon@gov.nl.ca 

BACKGROUNDER
Provincial Wait Times Data

2008-09 Quarter 3: October 1 to December 31, 2008

Source: Regional Health Authorities, and the Provincial Breast Screening Program, Newfoundland and Labrador.

2008-09 Quarter 4: January 1 to March 31, 2009

Source: Regional Health Authorities, and the Provincial Cervical Screening Initiatives Program, Newfoundland and Labrador.

2009 01 12                                               11:25 a.m.