During the fourth quarter of 2021-2022 (January 1 to March 30), wait time reports demonstrate that, on average, 95 per cent of residents of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) received timely access to radiation, cardiac bypass and hip fracture repair benchmark procedures within the recommended targets. However, as result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the cyber-attack on average only 37 per cent of residents received access to non-urgent cataract, hip and knee replacement benchmarked procedures. Almost all or 99.6 per cent of patients received access to radiation treatment within 28 days; 83 per cent of cardiac bypass patients had surgery within the 182 day benchmark; 35 per cent of first eye cataract procedures were performed within 112 days; 49 per cent of residents accessed hip replacement surgery; 36 per cent accessed knee replacement surgery within 182 days; and 97 per cent of hip fracture surgeries were performed within 48 hours.
Curative Radiotherapy
The national benchmark for radiation treatment is 28 days. During this quarter, 99.6 per cent of 264 newly diagnosed cancer patients began radiation treatment within the 28 day benchmark. The time in which half (or the median) of these patients waited to begin treatment was 13 days, and the number of days in which nine out of 10 patients (90th percentile) began treatment was 21 days.
Cardiac Bypass Surgery
The national benchmark has three tiers: Level 1 within 14 days; Level 2 within 42 days; and Level 3 within 182 days. Nationally, cardiac bypass surgery benchmark data according to the three urgency levels is not comparable, therefore Newfoundland and Labrador reports summary level data for all three levels combined. During this quarter, 83 per cent of 106 cardiac bypass surgeries were performed within the benchmark of 182 days; the median wait time was 10 days; and the 90th percentile was 303 days.
Cataracts
The national benchmark for cataract surgery is 112 days. Nearly 1,250 cataract cases were completed in this quarter, with 644 cases on the first eye. In addition to this, 645 cataract cases were completed in the designated facilities in Corner Brook and St. John’s. In the Eastern region, 32 per cent of first eye cataract surgeries were completed in 112 days; the median was 238 days; and the 90th percentile was 465 days. In the Central region, 32 per cent of first eye included cases were completed in 112 days; the median was 150 days; and the 90th percentile was 197 days. In the Western region, 80 per cent of first eye cases were completed in 112 days; the median was 58 days; and the 90th percentile was 176 days. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, 100 per cent of first eye cases were completed in 112 days; the median was 9 days; and the 90th percentile was 23 days.
Hip Replacement
The national benchmark for hip replacement surgery is 182 days. During this quarter, close to 120 hip replacement surgeries completed in the province. In the Eastern region, 45 per cent of 78 cases were completed within 182 days; the median was 246 days; and the 90th percentile was 502 days. In the Central region, 55 per cent of 28 cases were completed within 182 days; the median was 147 days; and the 90th percentile was 411 days. In the Western region, 50 per cent of 10 cases were completed within 182 days; the median was 192 days; and the 90th percentile was 290 days. In the Labrador Grenfell region, due to the low number of surgeries being completed, data was suppressed for this quarter.
Knee Replacement
The national benchmark for knee replacement surgery is 182 days. During this quarter, 155 knee joint replacement cases were completed in the province. In the Eastern, 31 per cent of 64 cases were completed within 182 days; the median was 280 days; and the 90th percentile was 624 days. In the Central region, 19 per cent of 57 cases were completed within 182 days; the median was 318 days; and the 90th percentile was 575 days. In the Western region, 57 per cent of 25 cases were completed within 182 days; the median was 180 days; and the 90th percentile was 317 days. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, 86 per cent of nine cases were completed within 182 days; the median was 121 days; and the 90th percentile was 187 days.
Hip Fracture Repair
The national benchmark for hip fracture surgery is 48 hours. Close to 110 hip fracture surgeries completed in this quarter. In the Eastern region, 97 per cent of 66 cases were completed in 48 hours; the median wait was 24 hours and the 90th percentile was 41 hours. In the Central region, 93 per cent of 16 cases were completed in 48 hours; the median wait was 17 hours and the 90th percentile was 27 hours. In the Western region, 100 per cent of 22 cases were completed in 48 hours; the median wait was 23 hours and the 90th percentile was 43 hours. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, due to the low number of surgeries being completed, data was suppressed for this quarter.
Provincial Wait Times Data
2021-22 Quarter 4: January 1 to March 30
| Service Area | Pan-Canadian Benchmarks | Newfoundland and Labrador Wait Times – First Quarter (January 1 – March 30, 2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Curative Radiotherapy | Within 4 weeks (28 days) of being ready to treat. |
|
| Coronary Bypass Surgery (CABG) | Level 1 Within 2 weeks (14 days) |
|
| Level 2 Within 6 weeks (42 days) | ||
| Level 3 Within 26 weeks (182 days) | ||
| Cataract | Within 16 weeks (112 days) for patients who are at high risk. |
|
| Hip Replacement | Within 26 weeks (182 days) |
|
| Knee Replacement | Within 26 weeks (182 days) |
|
| Hip Fracture Repair | Fixation within 48 hours |
|