Skip to main content

FM
Former Member
"Why We Wait" Blames Lack of Operating Rooms for Increased Waiting Times

Submitted by Nimisha Sachdev
on Tue, 10/18/2011 - 09:48
Source - French Tribune

On Monday, in a recently complied report, "Why We Wait", the Fraser Institute raised concerns over a serious issue and pinpointed the inadequate availability of operating rooms for contributing enough to create an unfeasible environment for patients and pushed them to climb huge waiting lists in order to avail needed care and surgery.

Before releasing the report, the organization carefully analyzed a questionnaire acknowledged from 1,667 Canadian physicians. The think-tank had circulated the questionnaire to these experts, earlier in 2010, to know their view on increased waiting times between referral and procedure and reasons for hike. Out of all surveyed experts, and 67.9% have marked lack of operation rooms as a possible reason for significantly increased figures.

On the other hand, 46% respondents have confessed huge patient waiting list in 2010 as compared to 2009 for cataract surgery, vascular surgery, general surgery, and hip and knee replacement surgeries. Besides this, lack of staff, hospital, beds or other resources were observed as other reasons. The surveyed doctors have different specialties areas including radiation oncology, neurosurgery, urology, general surgery, plastic surgery, as well as ophthalmology.

Meanwhile, a senior fellow with the Fraser Institute, Nadeem Esmail, has also expressed views on the poll and said Canadian health care needs to address waiting issues seriously rather than expenditure. Further, the expert has claimed that the country acquires top most position to spend generously on health as compared to rest of the world.

"Physicians have been telling us for a decade that a lack of available operating-room time is one of the major determinants forcing Canadians to endure lengthy waits for surgical procedures”, Nadeem Esmail added further.

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×