Frequently Asked Questions

How long will I wait?

Saskatchewan is committed to providing residents with the most accurate wait time information available. This web site currently provides:

	Data on wait times by type of surgery. This is based on wait times people have experienced in the past six months;
	Number of procedures performed and number of people waiting for each surgical specialty in RHAs.

This information will give you a general idea of the time you might expect to wait for surgery.

We will continue to make improvements to the surgical system so we will be able to provide better information to patients.

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Why am I waiting?

Emergency patients do not go on a wait list. They are usually admitted to hospital within 24 hours. If a doctor feels that a patient should be admitted for a non-emergency procedure, the patient is then put on a wait list to come into hospital at a later date. The length of time you wait for surgery depends on many factors.

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What are my options?

It is important that you ask your doctor about all your options.

Depending on your situation, you may have the option of getting a referral to another specialist or hospital to receive your treatment sooner.

Be prepared to go for surgery on short notice, or to travel to another centre for treatment.

If your condition changes while waiting, it is important to discuss these changes with your doctor. It is your doctor who will need to assess the severity of your illness and the potential harm to you if treatment is delayed.

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What factors influence my waiting time?

The length of time you wait for an elective surgery is affected by a number of factors.

Patient Factors

Clinical Assessment: Patients whose medical condition worsens or who cannot function at home or at work because of their condition may be considered more urgent and may receive surgery more quickly.

Availability for Surgery: Some patients may choose to delay their surgery because of changing health needs or because the scheduled time is inconvenient

Physician Factors

Wait times often vary between physicians and between regions. The number of referrals a specialist receives from GPs, and the amount of operating room time allocated to a specialist may also affect the length of time you wait.

Hospital Factors

Scheduling: Facilities must organize and coordinate your pre-operative, operative, and post operative health services.  This can potentially affect the timing of your specific procedure.

Bumping: Sometimes patients who are booked for surgery have to be "bumped" if an emergency case suddenly needs to be handled.

System Factors

Availability of health providers: Some regions have a shortage of physicians and nurses. The availability of health care professionals in the operating room and on the ward can influence how quickly people receive surgery.

Time of year: Many people prefer not to be hospitalized over the summer months or through the winter holiday season. As well, fewer operations are performed in hospitals over these times because health providers and staff need time off for vacation. Emergency treatment is provided at all times.

Changing health needs of a community: Waiting lists for surgery may grow as more people have a need for a particular health service. For example, a large senior citizen population in an area is likely to mean a greater need for cataract surgery or hip replacements.

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