SURGICAL INITIATIVE CONTINUES TO TACKLE WAIT TIMES

Year Two Report Shows Improvements Across Surgical System

Saskatchewan patients are benefiting from improved access to surgery and new processes and safety practices, according to a new report released today. The Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative (SkSI) Year Two Progress report shows steady progress in improving patient experiences and reducing surgical wait times.

Provincially, 97 per cent of surgeries in Saskatchewan were completed within the SkSI's Year Two target of 12 months. Seven of the ten health regions that provide surgeries succeeded in reaching the target for 100 per cent of surgeries they provide. The two tertiary health regions, Saskatoon and Regina Qu'Appelle, provided 95 per cent of surgeries within one year.

Surgical data updated to March 31, 2012 shows that since 2007, there has been a 91 per cent drop in the number of patients waiting more than 18 months for surgery, and a 82 per cent decrease in the number waiting longer than 12 months. The number waiting over six months and over three months have dropped 58 per cent and 41 per cent respectively.

"We're proud of the progress made so far on our ambitious but attainable goal of providing sooner, safer, smarter care for patients," Health Minister Don McMorris said. "I thank all of our health system partners for their support and encourage them to maintain the momentum that's building. Their efforts are resulting in better care for patients and a more sustainable, efficient and patient-centred surgical system."

"We know that to be successful, we have to work on all aspects of surgical care - the ‘safer' and ‘smarter' initiatives as well as providing surgeries sooner," Surgical Initiative physician leader Dr. Peter Barrett said. "We're listening to what patients are telling us, and the result is projects like streamlined patient pathways to standardize care, medication reconciliation and surgical safety checklists, all of which will make a tremendous difference to patient care."

Among the projects and improvements championed by the Surgical Initiative are:

• an online specialist directory to help family physicians and patients choose a surgeon;
• patient "pathways" that streamline care for patients with hip, knee or spine problems and those who have prostate cancer or uro-gynecological problems;
• use of a surgical safety checklist in all Saskatchewan hospital operating rooms;
• faster access to selected day surgeries and CT services through third party providers;
• quality improvement and safety initiatives;
• training of additional operating room nurses;
• pooling of specialist referrals so new patients can choose the next available specialist;
• a surgical information system in hospitals that co-ordinates and automates supply management and scheduling of staff and operating rooms; and
• improved home care and post-operative rehabilitation services.

"Two years into this ambitious initiative we are really seeing results from all the hard work that our dedicated Saskatoon Health Region team has put into the Surgical Initiative projects," Saskatoon Regional Health Authority Chair Jim Rhode said. "Their commitment to a patient-first focus has meant an improved health care experience for all the surgical patients in our care."

"As a patient advocate involved in the Surgical Initiative, I am encouraged by the progress we've made reducing wait times and improving the patient experience," SkSI patient advisor Dan Stroman said. "Patients are working with health system leaders to accomplish something no other jurisdiction in Canada has been able to do, in a way that gives patients the care and attention they deserve."

Ninety-nine per cent of all surgeries in Saskatchewan are currently completed within 18 months, 97 per cent within 12 months, 88 per cent within six months and 77 per cent within three months. About 21,500 patients are waiting for surgery in the province, a reduction of more than 6,000 in the past two years.

The province's 2012-13 budget includes $60.5 million in funding for the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative. It will enable health regions to complete more than 4,000 additional surgeries this year and advance projects that improve patient care.

By 2014, the Surgical Initiative's goal is to provide all patients with the opportunity to have surgery within three months, while improving the experience of surgical patients. By the end of 2012-13, the target is to reduce all surgical wait times to less than six months.

Information about the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative and a copy of the Year Two Progress Report is available at www.health.gov.sk.ca/surgical-initiative. Wait time data is posted at www.sasksurgery.ca.

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For more information, contact:

Tyler McMurchy
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083
Email: tmcmurchy@health.gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-537-3594