Are medical wait times in Canada too long?

Nova Scotia woman waits 11 years for surgery

A Nova Scotia woman has been waiting 11 years for foot surgery, reports the CBC. Wendy Barringer, who has a bone deformation in her foot (due to severe and worsening bunions), is on a wait list that she has yet to reach the top of. But she’s not the only one.

Some provinces are slipping when it comes to meeting benchmark wait times that have been laid out for receiving certain medical treatments in Canada, according to the annual report card for 2012 from Wait Time Alliance.

Check out how each province measures up for six common treatments, using the following grading system:

A grade: 80 percent or more people had their surgery within the benchmark wait time.
B grade: 70 to 79 percent
C grade: 60 to 69 percent
D grade: 50 to 59 percent
F grade: less than 50 percent

Hip replacement

The benchmark for hip replacement surgery is set at 26 weeks.

At least eighty percent of people get hip replacement surgery within the 26-week wait time in Newfoundland, Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. But, only 50 to 59 percent of Canadians in P.E.I., Nova Scotia and Manitoba receive treatment within the benchmark wait time.

Newfoundland: A
P.E.I.: D
Nova Scotia: D
New Brunswick: C
Quebec: A
Ontario: A
Manitoba: D
Saskatchewan: C
Alberta: B
British Columbia: A

Knee replacement

The benchmark for knee replacement surgery is set at 26 weeks.

Residents of P.E.I. and Nova Scotia are the least likely to get knee-replacement surgery within the 26-week benchmark – in fact, they get a failing grade. Ontario is the best place to be for those who want timely knee-replacements.

Newfoundland: C
P.E.I.: F
Nova Scotia: F
New Brunswick: C
Quebec: B
Ontario: A
Manitoba: D
Saskatchewan: D
Alberta: C
British Columbia: B

Radiation therapy

The benchmark for radiation therapy is set at four weeks. Eighty percent or more people had their surgery within the benchmark wait time all across the country.

Newfoundland: A
P.E.I.: A
Nova Scotia: A
New Brunswick: A
Quebec: A
Ontario: A
Manitoba: A
Saskatchewan: A
Alberta: A
British Columbia: A

Cataract surgery

The benchmark for cataract surgery is set at 16 weeks.

For Canadians who need cataract surgery, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario are the timliest when it comes to treatment.

Newfoundland: B
P.E.I.: C
Nova Scotia: C
New Brunswick: A
Quebec: A
Ontario: A
Manitoba: D
Saskatchewan: C
Alberta: B
British Columbia: B

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

The benchmark for coronary artery bypass graft surgery is set at 26 weeks.

Across Canada, 80 percent or more people had their surgery within the benchmark wait time (with the exceptions of P.E.I. and Quebec, for which data is not available).

Newfoundland: A
P.E.I.: N/A
Nova Scotia: A
New Brunswick: A
Quebec: N/A
Ontario: A
Manitoba: A
Saskatchewan: A
Alberta: A
British Columbia: A

Cancer care

The Wait Time Alliance’s benchmark for cancer care is 14 days. For the timliest cancer care, it seems Ontario is leading amongst the provinces – while Newfoundland receives a failing grade. Unfortunately, data isn’t available for all provinces.

Newfoundland: F
P.E.I.: B
Nova Scotia: N/A
New Brunswick: N/A
Quebec: N/A
Ontario: A
Manitoba: D
Saskatchewan: B
Alberta: B
British Columbia: B

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