Update on wait times for health care procedures

NLIS 1
August 22, 2006
(Health and Community Services)

Health and Community Services Minister Tom Osborne today provided an update on wait times for health care procedures in the province. Since the last quarter report, wait times have generally improved in three regions of the province, with Labrador-Grenfell region reporting wait times data for the first time this past quarter.

"Our significant investment of over $23 million in Budget 2005 to purchase new diagnostic equipment and expand select services has resulted in improved access for patients in our province," said Minister Osborne. "We are now seeing how these investments, along with the hiring of wait times coordinators in all health regions, have improved wait times for diagnostic procedures. Government is committed to ensuring that our residents receive timely access to health care procedures."

The province continues to meet the pan-Canadian benchmark for curative radiotherapy, with 100 per cent of all new cases of breast, colorectal, lung, prostate and other cancers having commenced treatment in 30 days. There has been a slight improvement in wait times for cardiac (coronary bypass surgery), with 98.6 per cent of all cases completed in 182 days, up from 96.7 per cent in the last quarter. A total of 599 procedures were completed province-wide.

This is the first time that Labrador-Grenfell Health has reported wait time data and, compared to other health regions in the province, the number of procedures are low. While the wait time for cataract procedures is longer than other health regions, the region does not have a full time ophthalmologist and is dependent on a visiting service. A total of five cataract procedures were performed in Labrador-Grenfell region in the last quarter, compared to 3,139 procedures province-wide.

Wait times have improved for hip replacement procedures. The provincial range was from 90 per cent in Eastern Health to 100 per cent in Central Health, Western Health and Labrador-Grenfell Heath of all cases completed in 182 days. A total of 335 procedures were performed in the province in the last quarter report.

In the last quarter report, the provincial range for knee replacement procedures was from 50 per cent in Labrador-Grenfell, 78.5 per cent in Eastern Health, to 85.2 per cent in Western Health and 100 per cent in Central Health of all cases completed in 182 days. A total of 470 cases were performed in the province in the last quarter. The wait times are lower for this procedure as compared to the previous report.

In addition to the five national benchmarks, government anticipates reporting CT Scans and MRI wait times by the end of this fiscal year. Regional health authorities are in the process of establishing Diagnostic Imaging Wait Time Committees which will begin the standardization process. Since commencing operation in March 2005, the second MRI in the west coast of the province has performed over 2,000 patient scans. Wait times for MRI in the Western health region have improved from a 98.9 per cent completion rate in 182 days in the second quarter to a 100 per cent completion rate in 90 days in the fourth quarter. In Eastern Health region, the third MRI in the province began operation in May. This new MRI is expected to provide an additional 2,500 exams per year.

"Wait times in the benchmark areas are continuing to improve. This is good news for the people of our province," said Minister Osborne. "The reductions in wait times we are seeing in the last quarter are a reflection of the combined efforts of government in partnership with the regional health authorities, physicians, and health professionals. We are committed to improving wait times and providing timely access to services for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador."

Benchmarks are goals which will fluctuate as they will be impacted by many variables, including the number of procedures requested, seasonal variables for example when patients choose to not to have elective surgery during the summer vacation months.

In keeping with the priorities outlined in the 10-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care, much of the recent reporting has focused on measuring wait times for the benchmark priority areas. Government is committed to informing the people of our province the provincial position/standings in relation to the benchmarks. In the areas where the province is below the national benchmark, regional health authorities will work to develop solutions to improve wait times.

Timely access to service is also impacted by the number and frequency of patients who do not show for a prescheduled appointment. The public can play an important role in ensuring that they provide advance notice, and inform their health care provider if they are unable to make their appointment. With sufficient advance notice of a cancellation, health care organizations/providers will be able to book another person into this time slot and also reschedule the individual who has had to cancel their appointment.

Media contact: Tansy Mundon, Communications, (709) 729-1377, 685-1741 or tansymundon@gov.nl.ca

BACKGROUNDER

Service Area	Pan-Canadian Benchmarks announced December 12, 2005	Newfoundland and Labrador Wait Times � 4th Quarter, 2005- 2006 (current as of March 31, 2006)
Cancer Curative Radiotherapy	Within 4 weeks (28 days) of being ready to treat.	100% of all new cases of breast, colorectal, lung, prostate and other cancers commenced treatment in 30 days; this is consistent with the third quarter and as compared to 84% in the second quarter.
Cardiac (Coronary bypass surgery) Level 1 Level 2 Level 3	Within 2 weeks (14 days) Within 6 weeks (42 days) Within 26 weeks (182 days)	98.6% of all CABG cases completed in 182 days, up slightly from 96.7% of all coronary artery bypass surgery cases completed in 182 days in the third quarter and as compared to 87% in the second quarter. Data will soon be reported according to these new national urgency levels.
Sight Restoration Cataract	Within 16 weeks (112 days) for patients who are at high risk.	In this quarter, the provincial range is from 25% in Labrador-Grenfell Health, to 83.7% in Eastern Health, to 100% in Central Health of all cases completed in 112 days. Eastern Health performs the highest numbers of cataract procedures in the province each year. In the second quarter, the provincial range was from 74.6% in Eastern Health region to 98% in Central Health region of all cases completed in 112 days. This compares to a provincial range of from 54.3% in Eastern Health region to 96% in Central Health region of all cases completed in 90 days. (Note information was not available in December based on the 112 day benchmark) Data has not been collected according to risk category.
Hips and Knees	Fixation within 48 hours The national definition for this indicator is being finalized and we will report on this later this year.
Hip Fracture
Hip Replacement	Within 26 weeks (182 days)	In this quarter, the provincial range is from 90% in Eastern Health, 100% in Central Health, Western Health and Labrador-Grenfell Heath of all cases completed in 182 days. Previously, in the third quarter, the provincial range is from 87.5% in Eastern Health region to 94% in Central Health region of all cases completed in 182 days. This compares to provincial range of from 92% in Western Health region to 100% in Central Health region of all cases completed in 182 days in the second quarter.
Knee Replacement	Within 26 weeks (182 days)	In this quarter, the provincial range is from 50% in Labrador-Grenfell, 78.5% in Eastern Health, to 85.2% in Western Health to 100% in Central Health of all cases completed in 182 days. In the previous quarter, the provincial range is from 88.2% in Eastern Health region to 100% in Central Health region of all cases completed in 182 days, as compared to a range of from 70% in Eastern Health region to 100% in Central Health region of all cases completed in 182 days in the second quarter.
Diagnostic Services	Women aged 50-69 every two years.	We will report on this benchmark annually, likely in September each year, once consolidated information becomes available. The first report indicated that approximately 20,900 women aged 50-69 years had at least one mammogram procedure in the previous two years at one of the provincial breast screening centers. Additionally, thousands of mammograms for screening purposes are performed in hospitals each year. Efforts are underway to improve information collection to measure over all the number of women in this age group who have a screening in the recommended time frame.
Mammograms	Women aged 50-69 every two years.
Cervical Screening	Women, starting at age 18, every three years to age 69 after two normal pap tests.	We will report on this benchmark annually, likely in September each year depending on availability of year-end data. The first report outlined that, in 2003, the province launched the Provincial Cervical Screening Initiatives Program with a staged implementation strategy. Currently, provincial guidelines recommend annual cervical screening. In 2004, 43% of women aged 18-69 years in NL had a pap test (ranging from 43% in Eastern Health region to 37% in Central Health region). Since 2001, women in the 25-34 year age group in the province have the highest number of pap tests each year.

2006 08 22 9:45 a.m.

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