Provincial wait time data shows that on average, 88 per cent of residents of Newfoundland and Labrador received access to the priority benchmark services within the recommended time frames during the fourth quarter of 2011-2012: (January 1 to March 31). Almost 100 per cent of patients requiring radiation treatment for cancer continue to receive access within the benchmark of 28 days. Benchmark results show that 100 per cent of cardiac bypass patients continue to receive surgery more quickly than the recommended targets. Over 80 per cent of patients underwent cataract procedures within 112 days. Wait time results for hip replacement surgeries remained above 80 per cent within 182 days, while knee replacement surgeries increased to almost 80 per cent compared to last quarter within 182 days. Also, 90 per cent of residents underwent surgery to repair a fractured hip within the benchmark of 48 hours, an increase from last quarter results.
Curative Radiotherapy
The national benchmark for radiation treatment is 28 days. Wait time information for this quarter demonstrates that 98 per cent of 263 newly diagnosed cancer patients began radiation treatment within the 28 day target. The time in which half (median) of these patients waited to begin treatment was 20 days; nine out of 10 patients (90th percentile) began treatment within 23 days.
Cardiac Bypass Surgery
The national benchmark consists of three tiers: Level 1 within 14 days; Level 2 within 42 days; and Level 3 within 182 days. Wait time data during this quarter demonstrated: 100 per cent of Level 1 cases were completed within 1 day; 100 per cent of Level 2 cases were completed in 21 days; and 100 per cent of Level 3 cases were completed within 90 days. All of the Level 1 cases were completed within less than 1 day; the median wait times ranged from 3 days for Level 2 and 4 days for Level 3; the 90th percentile was 1, 1, and 4 days respectively. At the end of March 2012, 21 patients were waiting for cardiac bypass surgery.
Cataracts
The national benchmark for cataract surgery is 112 days. There were more than 1,500 cataract procedures completed this quarter, including 936 procedures on the first eye. In the Eastern region, 69 per cent of first eye cases were performed in 112 days; the median was 65 days; and the 90th percentile was 190 days. In the Central region, the number of surgeries completed in 112 days ranged from 93 to 100 per cent; the median ranged from 50 to 63 days; and the 90th percentile ranged from 75 to 104 days. In the Western region, 93 per cent of cases were completed within the benchmark of 112 days; the median was 16 days; and the 90th percentile was 65 days. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, 100 per cent of cases were completed within the benchmark of 112 days; the median was 1 day; and the 90th percentile was 8 days.
Hip Replacement
The national benchmark for hip replacement surgery is 182 days. During this quarter, more than 100 hip replacement surgeries were performed in the province. More than half of hip replacement surgeries were performed in the Eastern region, of which 79 per cent completed within the 182 day benchmark; the median was 75 days; and the 90th percentile was 308 days. Central region completed 93 per cent of cases within the 182 day benchmark; the median was 54 days; and the 90th percentile was 136 days. In the Western region, 86 per cent of the cases were completed within 182 days; the median was 92 days; and the 90th percentile was 146 days. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, due to low number of surgeries, data is suppressed.
Knee Replacement
The national benchmark for knee replacement surgery is 182 days. During this quarter, 250 knee replacement surgeries were performed. In the Eastern region, 65 per cent were completed within the 182 day benchmark; the median was 115 days and the 90th percentile was 531 days. In the Central region, 97 per cent of cases were completed within the benchmark; the median was 77 days; and the 90th percentile was 107 days. In the Western region, 93 per cent of knee replacements were completed within 182 days; the median was 120 days; and the 90th percentile was 173 days. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, 100 per cent of the cases were completed within 182 days; the median was 67 days; and the 90th percentile was 97 days.
Hip Fracture Repair
The national benchmark for hip fracture surgery is 48 hours. During this period, 130 hip fracture repairs were completed. In the Eastern region, 85 per cent of cases were carried out within 48 hours; the median wait was 21 hours and 53 minutes; and the 90th percentile was 51 hours and 57 minutes. In the Central region, 96 per cent of cases were done within the benchmark; the median wait was 10 hours and 4 minutes; and the 90th percentile was 26 hours and 23 minutes. In the Western region, 100 per cent of hip fracture surgeries were completed within 48 hours; the median was 14 hours and 25 minutes; and the 90th percentile was 40 hours and 20 minutes. No hip fracture surgeries were performed in the Labrador-Grenfell region during this quarter.
Breast Screening
Participation rates for years 2010 and 2011 for organized breast screening for women aged 50 to 69, ranged from 58 per cent uptake in the Eastern region; 60 per cent in the Western region; 75 per cent in the Central region and then 60 per cent provincially. On a regional scale, there was a 2 per cent decrease from 2009-2010 in the Eastern region; a 1 per cent decrease in the Central region; and a 1 per cent increase in the Western region. On a provincial scale, there was a 1.4% decrease in the percentage of eligible women who were screened since 2009-2010. Additionally, there are a significant number of opportunistic screening mammograms performed in the diagnostic imaging departments of acute care facilities each year.
Cervical Screening
The Provincial Cervical Screening Initiatives Program has modified its benchmark to report the number of women aged 20 to 69 who have had at least one Pap test in a three-year period, as of September 2011. This change is in keeping with the current best practice in Canada and aligns with the National Performance Indicators developed by the Pan-Canadian Cervical Screening Initiative. It also reflects the newly implemented recommendation for cervical screening interval in Newfoundland and Labrador – which is for women who had negative Pap tests three years in a row, with no history of abnormal Pap results, to change their routine screening to every three years. The participation rate in Newfoundland and Labrador during the 2009-2011 calendar years was 72 per cent.
Provincial Wait Times Data
2011-12 Quarter 4: January 1 to March 31
| Service Area | Pan-Canadian benchmarks | Newfoundland and Labrador Wait Times- Fourth Quarter (January 1 to March 31, 2012) |
|---|---|---|
| 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) |
|
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| Level 3 Within 26 weeks (182 days) |
|
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| 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. |
|
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| The number of women aged 20 to 69 who have had at least one Pap test in a three-year period. |
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Data Source: Regional Health Authorities, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Notes: In Labrador-Grenfell region, a low number (DS) of hip replacement surgeries and zero (NS) hip fracture repair surgeries were performed.
Date: June 15, 2012.