COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO DRIVE DOWN SURGERY WAIT TIMES CONTINUES

Updated wait time statistics show that 90 per cent of Saskatchewan surgical patients are receiving surgery within six months and 78 per cent within three months.

"Some patients are still waiting too long for their surgery, so we need to continue to drive down those numbers," Health Minister Dustin Duncan said. "The health system has performed 33,028 surgeries in the first five months of this fiscal year, but as we adopt innovative approaches, we know that we can do even better."

The number of people waiting more than six months as of August 31, 2012 was 4,695, down 56 per cent since November 2007.

Specialists and operating room teams, health regions, health provider organizations and administrators across Saskatchewan are collaborating on the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative, to ensure that by April 2014, all patients can receive surgery within three months.

Some projects contributing to surgery improvements include:

• On-line specialist directory to empower patients, in consultation with their doctors, to make informed surgical decisions (choices re: location, surgeon, length of wait); 
• Patient "pathways" are streamlining care for hip and knee replacement patients and those with back pain. Two new pathways will be launched in 2012-13 for patients with prostate cancer and uro-gynecological problems;
• Regional hospitals are expanding capacity to provide more surgeries outside of Regina and Saskatoon;
• 18-bed inpatient surgical ward added at St. Paul's Hospital (Saskatoon);
• Mobile MRI installed at Regina General Hospital will perform approximately 400 more procedures monthly;
• New patient-flow software introduced to help move patients through the health system better and faster; and
• Breast Health Centre expansion at Saskatoon City Hospital to allow faster, less invasive procedures for breast biopsies.

More information about the Surgical Initiative can be found at www.health.gov.sk.ca/surgical-initiative. Wait time data and other information for patients is available at www.sasksurgery.ca.

-30-

For more information, contact:

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