Released on May 30, 2013
Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative Year Three Progress Report
Saskatchewan patients have improved access to better, safer surgical care, the Saskatchewan government reported today. The Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative Year Three progress report shows continued gains in improving patient experiences and reducing surgical wait times.
Provincially, 90 per cent of the 82,047 surgeries in Saskatchewan were completed within the Surgical Initiative’s Year Three wait time target of six months. The ultimate goal is that by April 2014 patient experiences are improved and patients can receive surgeries within three months.
“We have made remarkable progress toward our goals,” Health Minister Dustin Duncan said. “I want to thank everyone involved in this four-year effort to improve surgical care in Saskatchewan, especially the patient advisors whose input has been invaluable. With patients as the focus, it is important for us to work together to improve access to surgery. In this final year of the Surgical Initiative, we are making a big push to drive down wait times and further improve outcomes for patients.”
Updated surgery numbers from March 31, 2013, indicate there were 7,058 fewer patients waiting more than six months for surgery than in November 2007, a 66 per cent reduction. There were 4,202 fewer patients waiting more than 12 months, an 82 per cent reduction.
“Our provincial health system has worked together with patient advisors to make meaningful change happen through the Surgical Initiative,” Saskatoon Regional Health Authority Chair Jim Rhode said. “People get a tremendous sense of accomplishment when they find ways to get the right care to patients sooner, safer and smarter.”
“The Surgical Initiative has helped to alleviate the uncertainties, scheduling conflicts and emotional distress brought by lengthy wait times for our patients,” Saskatoon surgeon Dr. Frank Hohn said. “Shorter wait times have allowed us to plan our surgeries around patients’ lives instead of patients planning their lives around our surgeries.”
“Patient involvement is important,” patient advisor Maxine McLeod said. “Our experiences, good and bad, are the lessons that health care providers can take and learn from. Our concerns are real, and our ideas – no matter how outrageous – can inspire a discussion and be the catalyst to generate lasting solutions.”
A number of projects are underway to improve the patients’ surgical experience, shorten wait times for surgery, and improve safety and quality, including:
- Clinical “pathways” to help patients better navigate their care journey for joint replacement, bariatric surgery, back pain, prostate cancer and pelvic floor conditions;
- Efforts to understand variations in diagnosis and treatment of some procedures and address any inconsistencies or concerns;
- Use of “pooled referrals” to give patients access to the next available specialist in a group;
- Improved patient flow and discharge planning through Lean improvement;
- Provincial implementation of safety protocols;
- Reduction of surgical site infections;
- Increased capacity to train operating room nurses; and
- The Specialist Directory, which empowers patients and their primary care providers to compare surgical options, at www.sasksurgery.ca.
There are 19,263 patients waiting for surgery in the province, down from 26,739 in November 2007 and from 27,580 when the Surgical Initiative was launched in April 2010.
The province’s 2013-14 Budget includes $70.5 million in funding for the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative. It will enable health regions to complete about 7,000 additional surgeries this year and advance projects that improve patient care.
Information about the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative and a copy of the Year Three Progress Report is available at www.sasksurgery.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Tyler McMurchy
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083
Email: tmcmurchy@health.gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-537-3594