Q: What is Coronary Artery Bypass (Heart) Surgery?
Coronary artery bypass graft (or open heart surgery) is when a section of a blood vessel from another part of the body (usually the leg, arm or chest) is transplanted to make a detour around one or more blockages in the coronary arteries to restore normal blood flow to the heart.
Q: Where will I be referred to have this surgery?
Patients requiring this highly specialized surgeryare referred to the Provincial Cardiac Care Program which is located at the General Hospital – Health Sciences Centre (of Eastern Health) in St. John’s.
Q: How are wait times measured?
For this operation, the wait time is measured from when you and your cardiac surgeon decide to proceed with surgery, to when the procedure is completed. It is important to remember that emergency cardiac surgery patients are our first priority which may lead to unexpected postponement of previously scheduled patients.
Q: What is the benchmark wait time for cardiac bypass surgery?
The national benchmark for cardiac bypass surgery is comprised of three urgency levels: Level 1 (urgent) has a 14-day benchmark; Level 2 (semi-urgent) has a 42-day benchmark; and, Level 3 (elective) has a 182-day benchmark target. This means that cardiac surgeons and the RHAs are working together to perform the majority of bypass operations within the corresponding benchmark target. The most recent wait times for cardiac bypass surgery by urgency category are:
Table 1: Cardiac Bypass Surgery Eastern Health for Q3 (October 1 to December 31, 2010-2011)
| Wait Time Information | Benchmark Urgency Classifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1: Urgent 14 days | Level 2: Semi-urgent 42 days | Level 3: Elective 182 days | |
| Number of bypass surgeries completed by urgency | 09 | 24 | 57 |
| 5 out of 10 patients had surgery within this number of days | 2 days | 4 days | 14 days |
| 9 out of 10 patients had surgery within this number of days | 11 days | 8 days | 73 days |
| Percentage of patients who had surgery within this number of days | 100% | 100% in 30 d | 100% |
Data Source: Eastern Regional Health Authority, Newfoundland & Labrador.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Wait Times – Cardiac Bypass Surgery
Date: May/15/2011
Wait Time Information – Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery (297 KB)