NEW SPECIALIST DIRECTORY EMPOWERS PATIENTS WITH INFORMATION

Saskatchewan patients and family doctors now have an exciting new tool to help them identify surgical options.

Health Minister Don McMorris joined Saskatchewan physician leaders today to unveil and demonstrate a new generation of the province's innovative Specialist Directory. It can help patients and family doctors easily search for a surgeon based on wait times, procedures performed or the location where the patient wishes to have surgery.

"The Specialist Directory helps family doctors and surgical patients navigate the surgical care system," McMorris said. "This new interactive version is based on feedback from patients and physicians. It's another example of the personal, efficient, ‘patient first' approach that's building Saskatchewan's reputation for innovation in health care."

The Specialist Directory is available at www.health.gov.sk.ca/specialists.

"I explore the Specialist Directory with my patients to help determine the factors that are most important to them," Saskatchewan Medical Association President and a Yorkton family physician Dr. Phillip Fourie said. "We make the referral decision together after weighing all of the options and considerations."

In Saskatchewan, 52 per cent of patients waiting longer than 12 months for surgery are distributed among 10 surgeons. Some patients on a very popular surgeon's list may wait two to three times longer than those referred to another surgeon in the same specialty group.

Over time, the Specialist Directory could make a significant difference in surgical wait times because patients will see they have a choice to see equally qualified Saskatchewan surgeons with shorter wait times. Patients who are willing to travel may choose to have surgery more quickly in a location other than their nearest surgical centre. The Specialist Directory currently lists about 200 Saskatchewan surgeons and 2,600 procedures and is updated weekly.

The Specialist Directory is one of many Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative projects aimed at helping surgical patients and their family doctors make more informed choices about surgical options. The initiative is working to improve surgical patients' care experiences and ensure that by 2014, all patients have the option of receiving their surgery within three months.

Since the initiative began in April 2010, the number of patients waiting more than 18 months for surgery has dropped about 57 per cent (872 cases), and the number waiting more than 12 months has dropped 44 per cent (1,784 cases). Since November 2007, the number waiting over 18 months has dropped 74 per cent and the number waiting over 12 months has declined 57 per cent.

More information on the Saskatchewan Surgical Care Initiative is available at www.health.gov.sk.ca/saskatchewan-surgical-initiative.

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For more information, contact:

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