News Release Archive
NEWS RELEASE (CNS810) -->> HEALTH--MORE PROCEDURES AND SHORTER WAITS FOR NOVA SCOTIANS HEALTH--MORE PROCEDURES AND SHORTER WAITS FOR NOVA SCOTIANS ----------------------------------------------------------------- A new study of the wait times for elective medical and surgical procedures in Nova Scotia shows most patients are waiting less time than they did four years ago, and more procedures are being done than in the past. The study, called Reporting Health Performance - Elective procedure waiting times in Nova Scotia 1992-1996, tracks the waiting times for the top 100 elective procedures from 1992 to 1996. A total of 347,000 services were tracked --- representing 75 per cent of all major procedures in the province over the period --- including a number of procedures from each surgical specialty and common diagnostic procedures such as scopes. "Information contained in the report is a good example of some of the data we need to make sensible decisions, and to manage the system well," said Health Minister Bernie Boudreau. "A quality health system depends on timely and relevant information. The report is a valuable tool to help measure how the health care system is serving Nova Scotians. It is another step in the right direction." Approximately 35 million pieces of data from Medical Services Insurance (MSI) billings were analysed to produce the report, which tracks the period between when the probable decision to perform an elective procedure was made to the day the procedure was performed. That period is compared from one year to the next for consistency. A procedure typically requires a booking at a hospital. An elective procedure is defined as one that treats a condition posing no immediate risk to the patient. The report is an important tool for tracking trends, and is one aspect of advanced monitoring of waiting times. Monitoring is a critical step needed to help identify problems, and to lead to potential ideas and approaches for solutions. Some of the findings of the report include: - most waiting times have dropped; patients are waiting less time for elective procedures than they were four years ago; - overall, the number of procedures performed in the province has increased over the past four years, from 67,000 in 1992-93 to approximately 72,000 last year; - despite a steady increase in the number of orthopaedic procedures over the past four years, waiting times in this area have decreased; - many factors can affect wait times; some examples could be government policy, decision-making at hospitals (i.e. maximum use of resources with increased admissions the day of surgery, not before, and more day surgeries), the supply and distribution of specialists and referral patterns from family doctors to specialists, an aging population, changes in technology, new options for treatment and societal expectations. - the number of cataract procedures done yearly has risen by 33 per cent since 1992-93; there is increasing demand for joint replacements (knee replacements have increased by 50 per cent over the past four years), while the trend in waiting time for the procedure is downward. The report also points out some areas where improvements can be made. For example, ear, nose and throat surgery show increased waiting times. Providing elective medical and surgical procedures on a timely basis is an important aspect of a quality health care system, the study states. Some steps that could reduce overall waiting times for procedures are increasing the commitment to day surgery, using same day admissions whenever possible, expanding the use of pre-hospital work-ups, assuring appropriate distribution of specialists, and developing triage systems for resource-intensive procedures such as joint replacements. "For the Department of Health, regional health boards, hospitals, physicians and others in he health care field, this report is a launching point for a broader discussion on how the resources of the health system are being used, and how the health care system is serving the public," said Mr. Boudreau. "We need to closely examine data like this to see how it can help in the delivery of a quality health care system, and quality health care, to Nova Scotians." -30- Contact: Lori MacLean 902-424-5025 trp Nov. 18, 1996 - 12:40 p.m.