2014-15 Quarter 4: January 1 to March 31
During the fourth quarter of 2014-2015 (January 1 to March 31), wait time reports demonstrate that, on average, 94 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 99 per cent of patients received access to radiation treatment within 28 days; 90 per cent of all cardiac bypass patients had surgery within 157 days; 95 per cent of first eye cataract procedures were performed within 112 days; 96 per cent of residents accessed hip replacement surgery and 85 per cent knee replacement within 182 days; and 94 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, 99 per cent of 202 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 NL will report summary level data for all three levels combined. During this quarter, 90 per cent of 82 cardiac bypass surgeries were performed within 157 days, which is sooner than the 182 day benchmark; the median wait time was 10 days; and the 90th percentile was 157 days. At the end of March 31, 2015, 60 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 945 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 57 days; and the 90th percentile was 95 days. In the Central region, 81 per cent of first eye included cases were completed in 112 days; the median was 92 days; and the 90th percentile was 126 days. In the Western region, 99.6 per cent of first eye cases were completed in 112 days; the median was 12 days; and the 90th percentile was 47 days. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, the itinerant specialists 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 125 hip replacement surgeries completed in the province. In the Eastern region, 96 per cent of 75 cases were completed within 182 days; the median was 130 days; and the 90th percentile was 176 days. In the Central region, 100 per cent of 27 cases were completed in less than 182 days; the median was 54 days; and the 90th percentile was 152 days. In the Western region, 92 per cent of 16 hip replacements were completed within 182 days; the median was 73 days; the 90th percentile was 138 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 227 knee joint replacement cases completed in this quarter. In the Eastern region, 78 per cent of 123 cases were completed within the benchmark; the median was 142 days; and the 90th percentile was 197 days. In the Central region, 91 per cent of 51 cases were completed within the benchmark; the median was 147 days; and the 90th percentile was 170 days. In the Western region, 90 per cent of 38 cases were completed within the benchmark; the median was 71 days; and the 90th percentile was 182 days. In the Labrador-Grenfell region, 93 per cent of 15 cases were completed within the benchmark; the median was 73 days; and the 90th percentile was 86 days.
Hip Fracture Repair
The national benchmark for hip fracture surgery is 48 hours. There were just over 135 hip fracture surgeries completed in this quarter. In the Eastern region, 93 per cent of 82 cases were completed in less than 48 hours; the median wait was 25 hours and 41 minutes and the 90th percentile was 45 hours and 34 minutes. In the Central region, 100 per cent of 27 cases were completed in less than 24 hours, which is much sooner than the 48 hour benchmark; the median was 8 hours and 57 minutes; and the 90th percentile was 16 hours and 16 minutes. In the Western region, 94 per cent of 30 hip fracture surgeries were completed in 48 hours; the median wait was 19 hours and 8 minutes and the 90th percentile was 31 hours and 52 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 4: January 1 to March 31
| Service Area | Pan-Canadian benchmarks | Newfoundland and Labrador Wait Times – Fourth Quarter (January 1 – March 31, 2015) |
|---|---|---|
| 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, 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: August 10,2015.
Provincial Wait Time Benchmark Update – Quarter 4: January 1 to March 31 (62 KB)