Provincial Wait Times Data
2014-2015: October 1 to December 31
During the third quarter of 2014-2015 (October 1 to December 31), wait time reports demonstrate that, on average, 91 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 results. Nearly all or 98 per cent of patients received access to radiation treatment within 28 days; 92 per cent of all cardiac bypass patients had surgery within 182 days; 97 per cent of first eye cataract procedures were performed within 112 days; 90 per cent of residents accessed hip replacement surgery and 86 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 155 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 14 days, and the number of days in which nine out of 10 patients (90th percentile) began treatment was 24 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 NL will report summary level data for all three levels combined. During this quarter, 92 per cent of 87 cardiac bypass surgeries were performed within 182 days; the median wait time was 8 days; and the 90th percentile was 162 days. At the end of December 2014, 56 patients were waiting for cardiac bypass surgery in the province.
Cataracts
The national benchmark for cataract surgery is 112 days. Nearly 1,700 cataract cases were completed in this quarter, including more than 850 cases on the first eye. In the Eastern region, 94 per cent of first eye included cases were performed in 112 days; the median was 54 days; and the 90th percentile was 101 days. In the Central region, 100 per cent of first eye included cases were completed in 112 days; the median was 88 days; and the 90th percentile was 103 days. In the Western region, 100 per cent of first eye cases were completed in 112 days; the median was 16 days; and the 90th percentile was 52 days. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, 100 per cent of first eye cases were completed by the iterant specialists’ sessional visits in less than the benchmark of 112 days.
Hip Replacement
The national benchmark for hip replacement surgery is 182 days. During this quarter, there were close to 110 hip replacement surgeries completed in the province. In the Eastern region, 85 per cent of 61 cases were completed within 182 days; the median was 93 days; and the 90th percentile was 186 days. In the Central region, 100 per cent of 26 cases were completed within 182 days; the median was 26 days; and the 90th percentile was 99 days. In the Western region, 100 per cent of 15 hip replacements were completed in less than 182 days; the median was 45 days; the 90th percentile was 86 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 close to 215 knee joint replacement cases completed in this quarter. In the Eastern region, 89 per cent of 120 cases were completed within the 182 day benchmark; the median was 110 days; and the 90th percentile was 208 days. In the Central region, 58 per cent of 48 cases were completed within the benchmark; the median was 152 days; and the 90th percentile was 407 days. This significant decrease from 95 per cent in the previous quarter, to 58 per cent in this quarter, is attributed to targeted interventions to address the long waiters. In the Western region, 97 per cent of 37 cases were completed in 182 days; the median was 58 days; and the 90th percentile was 164 days. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, 100 per cent of 10 cases were completed in less than 182 days; the median was 56 days; and the 90th percentile was 106 days.
Hip Fracture Repair
The national benchmark for hip fracture surgery is 48 hours. There were just over 155 hip fracture surgeries completed in this quarter. In the Eastern region, 84 per cent of 101 cases were completed in 48 hours; the median wait was 28 hours and 6 minutes and the 90th percentile was 51hours and 36 minutes. In the Central region, 96 per cent of 28 cases were completed in 48 hours; the median was 8 hours and 56 minutes; and the 90th percentile was 27 hours and 23 minutes. In the Western region, 100 per cent of 29 hip fracture surgeries were completed in 38 hours and 23 minutes; the median wait was 21 hours and 22 minutes and the 90th percentile was 35 hours and 9 minutes. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, due to the low number of surgeries being completed, data for this quarter was suppressed.
Provincial Wait Times Data
2014-15 Quarter 3: October 1 to December 31
| Service Area | Pan-Canadian benchmarks | Newfoundland and Labrador Wait Times – First Quarter (October 1 – December 31, 2014) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
|
Data Source: Regional Health Authorities (RHAs), Newfoundland and Labrador.
Notes: In keeping with data standards, outliers or cases that do not comply with the standard wait time definitions are excluded from cataract wait time calculations and Eastern and Central Regional Health Authorities are working to address this. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, a low number (DS) of hip replacements and hip fracture surgeries were performed this quarter.Date: August 10, 2015