To the editor,
In 2004, all provinces signed an accord that promised significant reductions in medical wait times. Almost six years later, Nova Scotia is still lagging behind. In the recently released Wait Time Alliance (WTA) report card, our province received a failing grade for hip and knee replacement, a ‘C’ for cataract surgery and no grade for CT/MRI, coronary artery bypass surgery and cancer radiotherapy.
A grade of F means less than half of the population that requires hip and knee replacement was treated within the government’s wait time benchmark of 26 weeks – the worst grade in the country. It should be noted that the government benchmarks used in the report are still far in excess of ideal wait times identified by physicians, and yet we still lag far behind.
The C grade means 60-69 per cent of Nova Scotians who need cataract surgery get the treatment they need in the 16 week benchmark
Nova Scotians deserve better. The people of this province deserve the health care they need, when and where they need it. The time has come for government to meaningfully address long waits for vital health services.
This government identified better health care for Nova Scotians as one of its key priorities in their budget and speech from the throne. While we urgently need to address wait times for specific procedures, we also need a long term vision that will provide for sustainable health care for all Nova Scotians. With increased focus on health care, the doctors of Nova Scotia hope the government focuses on reforming the health-care system from a broad perspective. The time for tweaking the system has passed.
We need a strong focus on wellness and primary health care to reduce the need for acute and tertiary care services. Doctors want to be part of the solution that provides improved patient care.
While wait times remain a challenge, the WTA report gave the province a positive assessment with respect to wait-time reporting. Our province received a B and was cited as a leader in comprehensiveness. In Nova Scotia, we are well on our way to making it easy for patients to find out, in a timely trustworthy fashion, how long the wait is for a particular procedure or treatment. We need to build on this success.
The WTA report is further proof that there are challenges in our system that must be addressed. Members of Doctors Nova Scotia advocate reforming the health-care system from a broad perspective and the physicians of the province are eager to participate in reform initiatives that ensure all Nova Scotians have access to timely, appropriate, effective and efficient medical care.
Jane Brooks, MD, PhD, CCFP
President, Doctors Nova Scotia
