A survey by the Fraser Institute found a median wait of 20 weeks for “medically necessary” treatments and procedures in 2016 – the longest-recorded wait time since the think tank began tracking wait times.
That’s more than double the wait times reported in 1993, when the right-leaning think tank began tracking the issue in Canada.
The survey looked at total wait times faced by patients starting from the time they received a referral from a general practitioner, to the consultation with a specialist, to “when the patient ultimately receives treatment.”
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At 38.8 weeks, New Brunswick recorded the longest wait time among Canadian provinces.
Ontario recorded the shortest wait time at 15.6 weeks, however that province’s median wait rose from 14.2 weeks in 2015.
Median wait time by province in 2016:
- New Brunswick: 38.8 weeks
- Nova Scotia: 34. 8
- P.E.I: 31.4
- Newfoundland and Labrador: 26
- British Columbia: 25.2
- Alberta: 22.9
- Manitoba: 20.6
- Quebec: 18.9
- Saskatchewan: 16.6
- Ontario: 15.6
In terms of specialized treatment, national wait times were longest for neurosurgery (46.9 weeks) and shortest for medical oncology (3.7 weeks).
- Neurosurgery: 46.9 weeks
- Orthopaedic surgery: 38
- Ophthalmology: 28.5
- Plastic Surgery: 25.9
- Otolaryngology: 22.7
- Gynaecology: 18.8
- Urology: 16.2
- Internal medicine: 12.9
- Radiation oncology: 4.1
- General surgery: 12.1
- Cardiovascular: 8.4
- Medical oncology: 3.7
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