Wait time information for the first quarter of 2010-2011: April 1 to June 30, shows that a high proportion of patients continue to receive timely access to the majority of benchmark areas. The data shows that:
- Nearly 100% of patients accessed radiation treatment within 28 days;
- Many patients underwent cardiac bypass surgery much sooner than the 182 day target;
- While cataract wait times will continue to vary in response to demand, a high proportion of cataract cases are done within 112 days;
- One region continues to experience increasing demand for hip and knee replacement; as a result wait times are noticeably longer there;
- Conversely, in the remaining three RHAs, 9 of 10 ten patients are accessing joint replacement within the 182 day benchmark; and
- Seventy-one to 100% of patients underwent hip fracture surgery within the 48 hour benchmark timeframe.
Curative Radiotherapy
Radiation treatment wait time information for all disease sites shows that 97% of the 186 new patients diagnosed with cancer commenced treatment within the benchmark of 28 days. The median wait time shows half of the group commenced treatment within 7 days, and the 90th percentile shows 9 out of 10 commenced treatment within 28 days.
Cardiac Bypass Surgery
The national benchmark for cardiac bypass surgery is multi-tiered with a 14 day access target for Level 1, 42 days for Level 2 and 182 days for Level 3. Wait time data for Level 1 cases shows that all 6 cases were carried out in 24 hours, exceeding the benchmark by 13 days. At the 42 day target, 100% of the 33 Level 2 cases were completed, with a median wait time of 4 days, and the 90th percentile wait time was 17 days. All or 100% of Level 3 cases were carried out within 90 days or less than half of the 182 day benchmark timeframe. As of December 31, 2010, 19 of the 52 patients on the cardiac surgery waitlist in this Province were waiting for bypass surgery.
Cataracts
The national benchmark target for cataract procedures is 112 days. Across the Province, more than 1,200 cataract cases were performed during this quarter. In the Eastern region, the median wait time for first eye cataract procedures was 43 days, the 90th percentile wait was 166 days and 82% were performed in 112 days. In the Central region, the median ranged from 60 to 64 days, the 90th percentile measure ranged from 99 to 134 days, and 78 to 93% of first eye cataract cases were completed within the benchmark. In the Western region, the median was 34 days, the 90th percentile wait was 141 days, and 83% of first eye procedures were carried out within 112 days. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, cataract procedures are performed by a visiting ophthalmologist. The median wait was 81 days, the 90th percentile wait time was 160 days and 63% of first eye cases were completed within the recommended timeframe.
Hip Replacement
The national benchmark for hip replacement surgery is 182 days. Across the Province, just over 80 hip replacement surgeries were performed during this quarter. In the Eastern region, 62% of the 52 cases completed were carried out in this timeframe. The median wait time was 132 days and the 90th percentile wait time was 360 days. In the Central region, 94% of the 17 cases completed were completed in 182 days, while the median was 73 days and the 90th percentile was 92 days. In the Western region, 100% of 16 hip replacements were done at 182 days, while the median wait was 39 days and 90th percentile was 97 days. A low number of cases were done in the Labrador-Grenfell region so data results are suppressed.
Knee Replacement
The national benchmark for knee replacement surgery is 182 days. Across the Province, nearly 200 knee replacement surgeries were performed during this quarter. Over half of these cases were done in the Eastern region, where the median wait time was 195 days, the 90th percentile range was 508 days, and 46% of cases were completed within 182 days. In the Central region, the median wait time was 57 days, the 90th percentile was 123 days and 100% of 49 cases were performed in 182 days. In the Western region, the median wait was 63 days, the 90th percentile was 128 days, and 100% of 35 knee replacements were completed in the benchmark timeframe. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, the median was 35 days and 90% of cases were done within 182 days.
Hip Fracture Repair
The hip fracture surgery benchmark is 48 hours. In the Eastern region, 71% of 45 cases were carried out within 48 hours. The median wait time was 34 hours, and the 90th percentile wait time was 67 hours. In the Central region, 100% of 20 cases were done within 24 hours, or half of the benchmark timeframe. In the Western region, 100% of 24 cases were done in 48 hours, while the median wait was 21 hours and the 90th percentile was 35 hours. Data is suppressed for Labrador-Grenfell region, as less than 5 hip fracture cases were performed in this quarter.
Provincial Wait Times Data
2010-11 Quarter 1: April 1 to June 30, 2010
| Service Area | Pan-Canadian benchmarks | Newfoundland and Labrador Wait Times – First Quarter (April – June, 2010) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
|
| Breast Screening | Women aged 50-69 every two years |
|
| Cervical Screening | Women, starting at age 18, every three years to age 69 after two normal pap tests. |
|
Source: Regional Health Authorities, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Notes: Hip replacement and hip fracture repair data are suppressed for the Labrador Grenfell Health region, as a small volume of cases were performed during this quarter.
Date: January 20, 2011