WAIT TIMES STRATEGY TO BE HIGHLIGHTED AT MEETING

Saskatchewan's surgical care strategy will be highlighted at a meeting of federal, provincial, and territorial Health Ministers in Vancouver this week.

The focus of the meeting is to begin implementation on the 10-year plan to strengthen health care agreed to by First Ministers in Ottawa earlier this fall. This will include developing strategies to meet commitments to reduce wait times, improve access to care, develop a national pharmaceutical strategy, increase the supply of health professionals, and enhance primary health care.

"Saskatchewan is viewed as a leader in addressing the wait times issue, so we are eager to share our experience with other jurisdictions," Health Minister John Nilson said.

At the upcoming meeting, Saskatchewan will provide an update on the provincial surgical care strategy, including the Surgical Patient Registry, the first of its kind in Canada. Saskatchewan's innovative work on establishing Target Time Frames for Surgery which allows the system to monitor and track patients and ensure they receive care within an appropriate time will also be highlighted.

"Improving access to quality care and better managing wait times are key goals of the new 10-year plan. Saskatchewan has already made great progress in this regard and based on the successful implementation of our waitlist strategy, we know we have the system fundamentals right," Nilson said. "We will continue to work with our federal, provincial and territorial colleagues to determine collaborative approaches to meet the strategic priorities in the health care agreement."

Health Ministers meet in Vancouver from Friday, October 15th to Sunday, October 17th.

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For More Information, Contact:

Kimberly Kratzig Health Regina Phone: (306) 787-2743