Wait times for hip, knee replacements increasing in province

It's a bit of good news and a bit of bad news when it comes to wait times for five different treatments in New Brunswick.

While the wait times forcataract surgeries, hip fracture repairs and radiation therapy are around the national average, those needing a knee replacement and a hip replacement are waiting longer the recommended time.

TheCanadian Institute for Health Informationtracks the wait times for the five treatments from numbers provided by health departments in each province. The latest results are based on numbers from April to September 2018.

"We do a review and put out the numbers to help improve the health system," said Tracey Johnson, thedirector of health systems analysis for the institute.

For knee replacements, only43 per centof New Brunswick residents received a knee replacement within the recommended wait time of six months. That percentage has dropped from 50 per cent two years ago.The national average was69 per cent.

Johnson said the wait times are just one of the things balanced against all the other health needs a province goes through.

"Wait times are an indicator of how the system is coping."

TheCanadian Institute for Health Information began tracking the wait times in the five treatment areas 14 years ago because there were wait times crises in all areas.

Johnson said looking at the wait times can get provinces to look at how many surgeons they have, available hospital beds, and how many surgeries are being done.

"Or you may have to look back to your pool of people who need this larger than it used to be."

Improvements in some areas

Of those waiting for hip replacements, only 55 per cent were able to get the operation within the recommended wait time of six months, while the national average was 75 per cent.

For hip fracture repairs, the wait time is measured from the time the person enters the hospital to the time of the procedure. The benchmark is 48 hours.

"It's a process because it's under one roof and in one building, it's a bit easier to improve."

Johnson said that in New Brunswick, 90 per cent of patients gotthe procedure in the recommended time, and the national average is at 88 per cent.

"Another area of improvement is with radiation therapy, another one of those urgent procedures," she added.

Results show 95 per cent of residents received radiation therapy within the recommended wait time of 28 days. The national average is 98 per cent.

Johnson said having the data to be able to make comparisons is important.

"If you only had your data you might think you are doing really well. We also take a look at where Canada fits in with other countries for wait times and a number of other things."

Johnson suggests the numbers offer a start of a conversation for New Brunswickersabout what the waits are if you are on a list and a discussion if there are alternatives.