Ontario Joins With Canada's New Government To Announce Patient Wait Times Guarantee
Ontario is the third province to commit to a wait times guarantee, following a Nova Scotia commitment to a guarantee for cancer radiation therapy, and a Quebec commitment to establish guarantees in hip, knee and cataract surgeries.
"Canada's New Government congratulates Ontario for its leadership in announcing its first Patient Wait Times Guarantee, and for being one of the first provinces to make this commitment," said Minister Clement. "Canadians have asked for federal-provincial cooperation in advancing Canada's health care system, and with today's announcement we are proud that Ontarians will soon be guaranteed timely health care access in the area of cataract surgery."
Between now and the time the guarantee takes effect, Ontario will undertake a pilot project within the province's public health care system for patients who are at risk of waiting more than 26 weeks for cataract surgery. These patients will be offered the surgery at another location within Ontario where they will not have to wait beyond the 26 week access target to receive their surgery. Results from the project will help determine how to implement the guarantee.
"We're very proud of the progress we've already made in reducing wait times for a number of key health services, including cataract surgery which has been reduced by over 40 per cent," Smitherman said. "We look forward to working with the federal government to further reduce cataract wait times, so that thousands more Ontarians will have their eyesight restored and enjoy a better quality of life sooner."
This announcement marks another step forward by Canada's New Government as it continues to work towards ensuring that all Canadians receive essential medical treatment within clinically acceptable wait times. Quebec has already announced its intention to establish guarantees of access in hip, knee and cataract surgeries.
Canada's New Government intends to provide up to $612 million in a Patient Wait Times Guarantee Trust, $400 million for health information technology through Infoway, an organization which is making significant progress in working with provinces and territories to implement electronic health records, and $30 million over three years to provinces and territories for pilot projects related to establishing guarantees.
"Our commitment has been to work with the provinces to improve patient care, and today's announcement will lead to improved health care and timely access for the people of Ontario," said the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Regional Minister Responsible for the Greater Toronto Area and Minister of Finance. "This new guarantee will ensure patients in Ontario get the cataract surgical care they need, when they need it."
Canada's New Government has previously announced four pilot projects toward achieving timely access to better care. Three are designed to test guarantees for prenatal and diabetes care in selected First Nations communities, while the fourth is a national paediatric pilot project to address wait times for children in need of surgery.
Health Canada
Ontario de aderarea cu Canada este nou guvern de a anunta pacient Aºteptaþi ori de Garantare - Ontario Joins With Canada's New Government To Announce Patient Wait Times Guarantee - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate