Provincial wait time information from April 1 to September 30 (Q1/Q2) of 2023-2024 shows that on average shows that on average 95 per cent of cardiac bypass, and hip fracture patients accessed care within the benchmarks. However, as result of the necessary health system service reductions associated throughout the three year COVID-19 pandemic, on average 42 per cent of patients received access to non-urgent cataract, hip and knee replacement benchmarked procedures within the recommended targets.
Provincial data results for these first two quarters combined show that:
- Close to six out of 10 (or 57 per cent) of newly diagnosed cancer patients commenced radiation treatment within the 28 day benchmark;
- Almost all (or 98 per cent) of cardiac bypass surgeries were performed within the 182 day benchmark;
- Four out of 10 (or 43 per cent) of cataract cases on the first eye were performed within 112 days;
- Close to five out of 10 (or 48 per cent) hip replacements were completed within the recommended benchmark of 182 days;
- Close to four out of 10 (or 37 per cent) knee replacements were completed within the recommended benchmark of 182 days; and,
- Nine out of 10 (or 93 per cent) of patients underwent emergent hip fracture surgery within the benchmark of 48 hours.
Provincial Wait Times Data
2023-24 Quarters 1 and 2: April 1 to September 30, 2023
| Newfoundland and Labrador Wait Times (April – September, 2023-2024) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Area | Pan-Canadian Benchmarks | 50th Percentile Wait Time | 90th Percentile Wait Time | Percent Within Benchmark |
| Curative Radiotherapy | Within 4 weeks (28 days) of being ready to treat. | 27 days | 54 days | 57% |
| Coronary Bypass Surgery (CABG) | Level 1, 2, 3 combined (182 days) | 15 days | 105 days | 98% |
| Cataracts (First eye) | Within 16 weeks (112 days) for patients who are at high risk. | 132 days | 351 days | 43% |
| Hip Replacement | Within 26 weeks (182 days) | 198 days | 578 days | 48% |
| Knee Replacement | Within 26 weeks (182 days) | 273 days | 674 days | 37% |
| Hip Fracture Repair | Fixation within 48 hours | 23 hours | 46 hours | 93% |
Source: Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NLHS), Newfoundland and Labrador
Notes: In keeping with data standards, outliers or cases that do not comply with the standard wait time definitions are excluded from cataract wait time calculations and NLHS is working to address this.
Date: March 15. 2024