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Frequently
Asked Questions Following
are some commonly asked questions about wait lists and wait times. What
is a wait list? A
wait list is how doctors and hospitals track and schedule people who need specialized
medical care, such as heart surgery, MRIs, and hip and knee replacements.
There is no single wait list for all British Columbians scheduled for surgery.
People may be placed on a provincial list, a regional list, a hospital list, or
an individual doctor's list.
What is a wait time?
A wait time is how long an individual waits for a surgery or other procedure.
It is calculated from the time the procedure is booked in the hospital until it
is done. 
What is a reasonable wait time? Wait times depend on the type of procedure and the circumstances of the individual. A patient's surgical priority is determined by a patient's medical status as assessed by the surgeon and other physicians involved in their care. By providing treatment based on clinical assessment, medical practitioners ensure those patients requiring immediate treatment receive it.
Who
goes on a wait list? An
individual who needs emergency surgery does not go on a wait list. If
you require emergency surgery or treatment, you will receive it without delay.
For example, about half of all heart or cardiac surgeries in B.C. are done on
an emergency basis, with no time spent on a wait list. If
you need surgery or treatment that is not an emergency, you will be placed on
a wait list.
What influences the wait time? Wait
times vary for procedures and hospitals. Wait times can also depend on factors
such as: - Which specialists
your doctor refers you to;
- The
capacity of hospitals or regions to do the procedure;
- How
fast your community and region are growing; and,
- How
busy specialists are in your community.
How are wait times measured? To
find out how wait times are measured, please refer to the Wait
times methodology page.
How
are wait times managed? Responsibility
for wait times is shared among the Ministry of Health, health authorities, health
care providers, and individuals. The
Ministry of Health provides health funding to B.C.'s health authorities. The ministry
also establishes provincial policy, legislation and guidelines for the health
system. Health authorities
are responsible for the planning and delivery of health services in the regions
and communities.
In
the health system, hospitals coordinate operating room time and bed availability
for each service and procedure. Physicians
assess individual's needs and the urgency of the surgery or treatment. If
you need information on care options, treatments and test, see Questions
to ask your doctor.
Are wait times longer in B.C.?
Few
provinces besides B.C. produce wait list and wait time information. B.C. compares
quite well to other provinces that do monitor wait times data.
Is there
a "master" wait list? There
is not one provincial wait list for all patients. Depending on the type of surgery
or procedure, regions, hospitals and doctors will have their own wait lists. Wait
times vary for patients depending on the hospital or the doctor performing the
procedure. These also depend on the urgency and need for care. Patients
who need emergency surgery are not put on a wait list. The surgery is performed
immediately. Patients
who need non-emergency care are assessed by their doctor. The doctor determines
the urgency and need for care, severity of the illness and the potential harm
to the patient if treatment is delayed for a period of time. Patients are then
scheduled on a wait list based on the urgency and their medical need.
What do
wait times depend on?
Wait times depend on many factors. Today,
more surgeries are being done than in the past. This results from advances in
medicine, changes in technology and greater numbers of patients treated on an
out-patient basis or with day surgery.
Can more
funding mean shorter wait times? More
funding alone will not result in shorter waits times. Long-term changes, such
as the development of clearly defined standards for treatment, will help ensure
patients get the most appropriate and timely care. The
Ministry of Health is working in partnership with physicians to develop standards
for safe and acceptable wait times for a range of hospital-based surgeries and
procedures. Standards are in place for pediatric and heart surgery, as well as
cancer treatment. A panel of orthopedic experts is also developing standards for
procedures such as hip and knee replacement surgery.
Can private
health care reduce wait times in the public health system? Overall,
wait times are not shorter in countries that offer private health care. Doctors
in two-tiered systems often provide services in both public health care and the
private system.
Do better
doctors have longer wait lists? All
surgeons are evaluated for training, skills and competence, both when they are
licensed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. and when they are granted
privileges to practice at a hospital. Some
surgeons may have longer wait times because they receive more referrals from family
doctors or share operating time in a hospital with a greater demand for operating
room resources. In addition, some surgeons may perform fewer procedures in a period
of time.
What other
purposes do wait lists serve? In
the public health system, wait lists serve an important purpose. They allow physicians
and hospitals to prioritize patients based on their medical needs and the urgency
of each procedure. If
wait times for a specific surgery or procedure become unreasonable, B.C.'s health
system would need to shift resources to meet patients' needs.
Last Revised: December 17, 2007
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