Provincial Wait Times Data
2013-14 Quarter 4: January 1 to March 31
During the fourth quarter of 2013-2014 (January 1 to March 31), wait time reports demonstrate that, on average, 95 per cent of residents of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) received timely access to benchmark procedures within the recommended targets, which is consistent with the previous quarter’s strong results. Almost 100 per cent of patients received access to radiation treatment within 28 days; 100 per cent of cardiac bypass patients had surgery within 148 days, which is much sooner than the benchmark of 182 days; 94 per cent of first eye cataract procedures were performed within 112 days; 96 per cent of residents accessed hip replacement surgery and 95 per cent knee replacement within 182 days; and 88 per cent of hip fracture surgeries were performed in less than 48 hours.
Curative Radiotherapy
The national benchmark for radiation treatment is 28 days. During this quarter, 98 per cent of 237 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 7 days, and the number of days in which nine out of 10 patients (90th percentile) began treatment was 23 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. During this quarter, 81 cardiac bypass surgeries were performed. Wait time data demonstrated: 100 per cent of 13 Level 1 cases were completed within 5 days; 75 per cent of 21 Level 2 cases were completed in 42 days; and 100 per cent of 47 Level 3 cases were completed within 148 days, which is much sooner that the benchmark of 182 days. Median wait times were 2 days for Level 1, 8 days for Level 2 and 59 days for Level 3; the 90th percentile was 4, 98, and 133 days respectively. At the end of March 2014, 44 patients were waiting for cardiac bypass surgery in the province.
Cataracts
The national benchmark for cataract surgery is 112 days. Nearly 1,300 cataract cases were completed in this quarter, including 624 cases on the first eye. In the Eastern region, 92 per cent of 429 first eye cases were performed in 112 days; the median was 40 days; and the 90th percentile was 107 days. In the Central region, 88 per cent of 46 first eye cases were completed in 112 days; the median was 50 days; and the 90th percentile was 127 days. In the Western region, 100 per cent of the 149 first eye cases were completed in 112 days; the median was 13 days; and the 90th percentile was 82 days. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, the itinerant specialist did not visit to perform cataract cases this quarter.
Hip Replacement
The national benchmark for hip replacement surgery is 182 days. During this quarter, there were close to 120 hip replacement surgeries completed in the province. In the Eastern region, 98 per cent of 86 cases were completed within 182 days; the median was 104 days; and the 90th percentile was 161 days. In the Central region, 100 per cent of 15 cases were completed within 159 days which is sooner than the 182 day benchmark; the median was 47 days; and the 90th percentile was 142 days. In the Western region, 83 per cent of 14 hip replacements were completed within 182 days; the median was 79 days; the 90th percentile was 203 days. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, due to the low number of surgeries being completed, data for this quarter was suppressed.
Knee Replacement
The national benchmark for knee replacement surgery is 182 days. There were 247 knee joint replacement cases completed in this quarter. In the Eastern region, 96 per cent of 153 cases were completed within the 182 day benchmark; the median was 115 days; and the 90th percentile was 167 days. In the Central region, 92 per cent of 35 cases were completed within the benchmark; the median was 118 days; and the 90th percentile was 176 days. In the Western region, 95 per cent of 50 cases were completed within 182 days; the median was 65 days; and the 90th percentile was 172 days. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, 100 per cent of 9 cases were completed within 140 days, which is sooner that the 182 day benchmark; the median was 89 days; and the 90th percentile was 131 days.
Hip Fracture Repair
The national benchmark for hip fracture surgery is 48 hours. There were just over 120 hip fracture surgeries completed in this quarter. In the Eastern region, 83 per cent of 78 cases were completed in 47 hours and 5 minutes; the median wait was 28 hours and 25 minutes and the 90th percentile was 56 hours and 37 minutes. In the Central region, 96 per cent of 26 cases were completed in 26 hours and 41 minutes, which is much sooner than the benchmark of 48 hours. In the Western region, 100 per cent of 20 hip fracture surgeries were completed in 47 hours and 26 minutes; the median was 29 hours and 24 minutes; the 90th percentile was 46 hours and 55 minutes. Again this quarter, zero hip fracture repair surgeries were completed in the Labrador-Grenfell region.
Breast Screening
Organized breast screening participation rates in 2012 and 2013 of women aged 50 to 69, ranged from 54 per cent uptake in the Eastern region; 59 per cent in the Western region; 76 per cent in the Central region and 58 per cent provincially. Regionally, there was a 1.5 per cent decrease from 2011-2012 in the Eastern region; a 2.6 per cent increase in the Central region; and a 0.9 per cent increase in the Western region. Provincially, the percentage of eligible women who were screened since 2011-2012 has remained consistent. In addition, throughout the province, 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. This change is in keeping with best practice and aligns with the National Performance Indicators developed by the Pan-Canadian Cervical Screening Initiative. It also reflects the 2011 routine screening recommendation in NL – 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. Based on this, the participation rate in NL during the 2011-2013 calendar years was 64 per cent.
Provincial Wait Times Data
2013-14 Quarter 4: January 1 to March 31
| Service Area | Pan-Canadian Benchmarks | Newfoundland and Labrador – Fourth Quarter (January 1 – March 31, 2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Curative Radiotherapy | Within 4 weeks (28 days) of being ready to treat. |
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| Coronary Bypass Surgery (CABG) | Level 1 Within 2 weeks (14 days) |
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| 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. |
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| Hip Replacement | Within 26 weeks (182 days) |
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| Knee Replacement | Within 26 weeks (182 days) |
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| Hip Fracture Repair | Fixation within 48 hours |
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| Service Area | Pan-Canadian benchmarks | Screening Participation Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Breast Screening | Women aged 50-69 every two years | Biennial participation rates (percentages) for the 2012-2013 calendar years for each of the province’s 3 breast screening centres.
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| Cervical Screening | Women, starting at age 18, every three years to age 69 after two normal pap tests. | Across the country, administrative data are not available to report participation rates according to the national benchmark. |
| The number of women aged 20 to 69 who have had at least one Pap test in a three-year period | Participation rates (percentages) for the 2011-2013 calendar years for the province. Provincial: 64% |
Data Source: Regional Health Authorities, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Notes: In Labrador-Grenfell region, a low number (DS) of hip replacements and zero (NS) cataract and hip fracture surgeries were performed this quarter.
Date: July 23,2014.
Provincial Wait Time Benchmark Update – Quarter 4: January 1 to March 31 (62 KB)