Wait times up, says study

Report by Fraser Institute says Canadians waiting longer for treatment from specialists

VANCOUVER — A new study says Canadians are waiting longer than ever for specialist treatment, but one health research organization says most patients are receiving key procedures within acceptable time frames.

The Fraser Institute released its annual report Thursday on queues for specialist visits and diagnostic and surgical procedures. It is based on surveys of about 2,400 physicians from 12 specialties including orthopedic surgery and radiation oncology.

The free-enterprise think-tank says the median national wait time, from referral to treatment, is 21.2 weeks, up from 20 weeks last year. It says this year’s wait time is more than double that of 1993, when it was 9.3 weeks.

“I think it matters to those Canadians who are in pain, who are relying on their families and caregivers while they’re waiting for treatment,” said author Bacchus Barua.

The study finds Ontario has the shortest total wait at 15.4 weeks while New Brunswick has the longest at 41.7 weeks. The waits in British Columbia and Alberta are both just over 26 weeks.

It also says patients wait more than 41 weeks for orthopedic surgery, while the wait for medical oncology is just over three weeks. Canadians wait more than four weeks for a CT scan and nearly 11 weeks for a MRI scan, it adds.

Approximately 2.9 per cent of Canadians were waiting for treatment in 2017, the study says.

Barua said other countries with universal health care, including Australia and France, have shorter wait times and generally they partner with the private sector and expect patients to share in treatment cost.

However, the Canadian Institute for Health Information also reports annually on wait times, and its latest study found that three out of four patients have priority procedures done within national benchmarks.

The institute uses provincial and territorial data and focuses on priority areas set out by the 2004 Health Accord, including cancer, cardiac disease, diagnostic imaging, joint replacement and sight restoration.

The benchmarks also set by the accord are considered to be medically acceptable periods of time.

Between 2012 and 2016, wait times for hip and knee replacements remained relatively stable, whereas wait times increased for cataract removal and decreased for hip fracture repair, the report says.

Overall last year, 50 per cent of patients waited 14 weeks for treatment and 90 per cent waited 36.4 weeks, it says.

Jennifer D’Silva, manager of emerging issues at the institute, said the number of priority procedures being performed continues to rise and Canada’s aging population might be a factor.

“Some of the procedures, we know, for hips and knees, are generally done in an older population,” she said.

The Fraser Institute survey was sent to more than 11,800 specialist physicians and about 21 per cent responded.

The report notes “survey responses in parts of Atlantic Canada are notably lower than in other provinces, which may result in reported median wait times being higher or lower than those actually experienced.”

Health Canada spokeswoman Tammy Jarbeau said the Canadian institute’s research shows Canada continues to perform well on median wait times for priority procedures compared to other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

However, the research also cautions that surgical demand continues to increase and jurisdictions will be challenged to meet benchmarks, Jarbeau said.

“The Government of Canada is engaging with provinces and territories to make our health-care system more responsive and sustainable,” she said.