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Invests in Hospitals to Reduce Key Wait Times
TORONTO, Nov. 17 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is delivering better
health care by increasing services and reducing wait times in five key areas -
cancer surgery, select cardiac procedures, hip and knee total joint
replacements, cataract surgery and MRI/CT exams, Health and Long-Term Care
Minister George Smitherman announced today at the Ontario Hospital Association
convention.
"Patients expect and deserve to have access to quality health care," said
Smitherman. "Our government's Wait Times Strategy is providing people with
faster, better access to health services that will reduce their pain and
suffering."
Smitherman announced an immediate investment of $107 million to increase
the number of procedures performed in areas associated with a high degree of
disease and disability.
Today's announcement will:
- Provide full operational funding in 2004/2005 for:
- 805 cardiac surgeries as part of the additional 7,851 cardiac
procedures taking place this year;
- 1,680 additional hip and knee replacements;
- 2,000 more cataract procedures; and
- increased cancer surgeries.
- Create a $50 million equipment fund to replace old equipment such as
MRI/CT scanners with newer, more efficient equipment. An additional
$5 million will be invested to extend the hours of operation of
existing MRIs.
- Develop needed infrastructure to monitor and manage wait times
including a comprehensive provincial registry to track wait times in
these five health service areas by 2006, and establish the first ever
province-wide website to mark the progress of the wait time strategy.
"These investments are just the beginning for our Wait Time Strategy,"
Smitherman said. "We will build on these initiatives to achieve our ultimate
goal of increasing access to health care services and building the critical
health care system we've been lacking."
As part of the government's alternative care strategy, Smitherman also
announced a $29 million investment to move people who no longer need acute
care out of hospitals and into a more appropriate care setting including
long-term care homes.
This news release, along with other media materials, such as matte
stories and audio clips, on other subjects, are available on our website
at: http://www.health.gov.on.ca under the News Media section.
Version française disponible
Att: Backgrounder
Backgrounder
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ONTARIO'S WAIT TIME STRATEGY
Reducing wait times for key health services is one of the McGuinty
government's top priorities and a big part of its strategy to transform
Ontario's health system. The key health services in question are cancer
surgery, select cardiac procedures, hip and knee total joint replacements,
cataract surgery and MRI/CT exams.
The government is responding to concerns raised by Ontarians about wait
times in these five key services - which are associated with a high degree of
disease and disability.
In September 2004, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman
announced the appointment of Dr. Alan Hudson to the position of Lead of Access
To Service And Wait Times. Dr. Hudson is leading the implementation of the
government's Wait Time Strategy and is supported by an action group of
national and international experts.
As part of its Wait Times Strategy, the government will be addressing:
- A lack of information on wait times;
- Inefficiencies in the health care system that may impede timely access
and contribute to wait times;
- The capacity required to reduce wait times; and
- Inconsistent methods of prioritizing patients who are waiting for
care.
Today's announcement includes:
- $50 million for an efficiency equipment fund to replace older
equipment such as MRI/CT scanners with newer equipment that will
improve quality and increase productivity
- $5 million to increase the MRI hours of operations in hospitals. This
builds on the government's previous funding of nine new MRIs, four of
which are already up and running
- $14.5 million to fully fund an additional 1680 hip and knee joint
replacements this fiscal year
- $4 million to assist hospitals with the full cost of 805 cardiac
surgeries, as part of the additional 7,851 cardiac procedures being
done this year
- $10 million to improve access and increase volumes of cancer surgery
this year
- $1.5 million to fund 2000 new cataract surgeries this year
- $10 million for education, innovation and other efficiency initiatives
- $5 million for information technology, development of a wait list
registry and methods to prioritize patients
- $7 million for physician human resource component of increasing
volumes, such as costs for pre-operative physician assessment & care,
anaesthetist's costs, surgeon's cost, post-operative physician care,
etc.
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For further information: Members of the media: Eva Lannon, Minister's Office, (416) 327-4320; Dan Strasbourg, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, (416) 314-6197; Members of the general public: (416) 327-4327, or (800) 268-1154
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