FACTS & FIGURES

Some provincial health-care initiatives have hit a nerve with a variety of groups, including the public, doctors and the federal government in recent years. Contentious issues include private-pay MRIS, long surgical waits and the lack of resources for mental health and addictions. Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening in those hot spots.

PRIVATE-PAY MRI

Saskatchewan and Ottawa have been butting heads over whether the province is violating the Canada Health Act by allowing residents to pay for a private MRI if the company providing the scan also does one for the public wait list.

In 2016, the feds said Saskatchewan had to stop allowing people who can pay for the private MRI scans to jump the queue or risk health-care funding. That stance hasn’t changed.

From March 2016, when patient pay options began, to July 31, 2018, a total of 1,323 exams have been purchased by Saskatchewan residents. In total, 3,801 additional MRI scans have been provided to patients at no added cost to the public system as a result of Saskatchewan’s unique two-for-one provision.

COMMUNITY RECOVERY TEAMS

These multi-disciplinary teams are being set up to support individuals with complex and persistent mental illness. In the

2018-19 budget, funding was announced to implement Community Recovery Teams in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert, North Battleford, Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Yorkton and Weyburn. There are no specific start dates for the Yorkton and North Battleford Community Teams, but it’s anticipated all teams will be operational by the end of the fiscal year

FUNDING BEING FINALIZED:

A $250,000 contract with the University of Saskatchewan for physician training to improve their ability to assess and treat child and youth mental health conditions.

$576,000 in funding to ehealth for client information system and service matching.

SURGICAL WAIT TIMES

In 2010, the provincial government introduced the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative — a plan to shorten surgical wait times and a pledge no patient would wait longer than three months for elective surgery by 2014.

The demand for surgery is increasing due to the province’s aging and growing population. The size of the population — and the portion requiring surgery — have both increased.

Other pressures that result in increased wait times for elective surgeries include more emergency surgeries, which take priority over elective surgeries, and more surgeons practising in Saskatchewan, so patients are being added to the wait list more quickly.

The Ministry of Health notes that while the yearover-year data shows a slight increase, since 2007 the number of patients waiting more than three months has decreased by 39 per cent and the number of patients waiting more than six months has decreased by 59 per cent.