Ontario Government’s Wait Times Investments Resulting in Ongoing Success
June 12, 2013 5:00 a.m.
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Ontario continues to lead all provinces in reducing wait times, according to a report card issued by the Wait Time Alliance (WTA).
For the sixth consecutive year, the WTA gave Ontario straight A's for meeting performance targets in reducing wait times in five priority health service areas - hip replacements, knee replacements, cataract surgery, radiation oncology and cardiac services.
The report also gave Ontario straight A's for reducing wait times for non-admitted patients in hospital emergency departments -- 87 per cent of ER patients are getting treatment within the eight hour target for complex patients and four hours for less urgent patients.
Reducing wait times supports the new Ontario government's commitment to providing the right care, in the right place, at the right time and is part of the Action Plan for Health Care.
Quick Facts
•This is the eighth annual report card from the Wait Times Alliance, which is comprised of several national medical specialty societies, including the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Canadian Association of Radiologists.
•Ontario is one of only two provinces providing information on ER wait times.
•Since 2003, the government has invested more than $1.7 billion in new funding for 2.9 million additional procedures to reduce wait times in the province in five key priority areas.
•Ontario is completing most surgeries and diagnostic imaging services within the pan-Canadian target wait times set in 2005 – as of April 2013, 97 per cent for general surgeries, 95 per cent for cataract surgeries, 92 per cent for paediatric surgeries, 89 per cent for CT scans, 88 per cent for hip replacements and 84 per cent for knee replacements.
•The net result of the Wait Time Strategy for all Ontarians who had a procedure since August 2005 is 187 million fewer days of waiting
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