Re: Wait times in Ontario (Canada) - crossposted to several cancer newsgroups
- From: J <studydras@xxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 16:58:52 -0500
J wrote:
> http://www.health.gov.on.ca/transformation/wait_times/wait_mn.html
> Wait Times in Ontario
>
> For the first time in this province's history, Ontarians can now find out
> how long they can expect to wait for key health services at hospitals.
> This site contains the most up-to-date information about wait times in
> Ontario, with a breakdown for five specific health services by individual
> hospitals that provide those services.
>
> This information will allow people to make informed choices about their
> health care, and track the progress the government is making in delivering
> on one of its key health care commitments. Wait times are one of the ways
> we all measure the quality of the health care we are receiving. The best
> medical procedure in the world might not be good enough if it isn't
> delivered in time.
>
> The Ontario government has a plan to reduce wait times and increase access
> to five major health services: cancer surgery, cardiac procedures,
> cataract surgery, hip and knee replacements, as well as MRI and CT exams.
>
> The number of hospitals that were reporting wait times data and the number
> of procedures that were completed in July 2005 are summarized in the table
> below. The information has been supplied and verified by individual
> hospitals as part of the province's Wait Time Strategy.
>
> (See tables and sidebar for more.)
>
> Ontario is in the process of developing a Wait Time Information System
> that will be more comprehensive, precise and timely. By December 2006,
> this single information system will be established in approximately 50
> Ontario hospitals, representing more than 80 per cent of the total volume
> for the five health services funded through the Wait Time Strategy.
>
> (Those "services" seem to be Cancer Surgery, Cardiac, Cataract Surgery,
> Joint Replacement (Hip/Knee), Diagnostic Tests - MR/CT)
>
> Followups set to sci.med.diseases.cancer
<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20051217/ONTWAIT17/TPHealth/?
MRI, CT scans join Ontario waiting-times list
By SARAH PETRESCU
Saturday, December 17, 2005 Page A25
Ontario has added MRI and CT scans to the list of medical procedures patients
should be able to receive within a specific period of time.
All the provinces unveiled national standards Monday for the maximum length of
time patients should wait for treatment in five other areas, including cancer,
heart disease and joint ailments.
Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman also set shorter waiting times for
people most urgently needing those treatments.
"We needed to take aggressive action to deal with Ontario's wait-time
problem," Mr. Smitherman said at a news conference yesterday.
"Common benchmarks give us a reliable and effective way to determine whether
we're making the progress that's expected of us."
The priority system breaks waiting times down to four categories, ranging from
immediate service in the case of life or death to the maximum benchmark for
patients that are functional.
Someone waiting for cataract surgery, who can't work or drive, for example,
should wait only 12 weeks in Ontario, while the national benchmarks say 16,
Mr. Smitherman said.
According to the new targets, Ontarians should not have to wait more than four
weeks for an MRI or CT scan.
"Most Ontarians don't mind waiting a reasonable time for treatment. What they
don't like is having somebody jump ahead of them," said Alan Hudson, who is
implementing the provincial waiting-time strategy.
Dr. Hudson said the priority categories formalize what is already practised by
many doctors, that "if you're sicker, you'll be treated quicker and fairly."
Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory criticized the targets, saying
waiting times in Ontario are increasing and the government is doing nothing
about it.
"We've been hearing from people who are not in the five priority areas who are
waiting much longer times now to get attention and surgery. Their own websites
show wait lists are up," Mr. Tory said. "If you just set targets with no dates
associated with them, the targets become meaningless."
.
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