Health care waitlist deaths at 5-yr high in Canada

Waitlist Deaths at Five-Year High | SecondStreet.org: 

Over 17,000 patients died while waiting for surgery or diagnostic scans in 2022-23. Data shows a 64% increase in annual waitlist deaths since 2018. Since multiple health bodies provided incomplete data, the Canada-wide total is estimated at over 31,000.

December 6, 2023 - "The number of Canadians dying on health care waiting lists for surgery or diagnostic  scans is at a five-year high, according to new research released today by think tank SecondStreet.org. Government data shows at least 17,032 patients died on a wait list in 2022-23. The data consists of cases where patients died waiting for procedures that could have potentially saved  their lives (e.g. a heart operation) and procedures that could have improved their quality of life (e.g. hip  operation). Patients died after waiting anywhere from less than a week to nearly 11 years. 

"'We’re seeing governments leave patients for dead. It’s deplorable,' said SecondStreet.org president  Colin Craig. 'More money won’t solve the problem. Governments have tried that for 30 years. Only  meaningful health reform will reduce patient suffering'.... 

"Several provinces provided partial data. If we extrapolate from the data provided and apply it across health regions that did not provide data, an estimated 31,397 patients died last year.  

"101 patients died while waiting for heart surgery in Ontario. Of those, 36 died after waiting longer than the maximum recommended wait time.... 

"Data from health care bodies that provided figures for each of the past five years shows there has  been an increase in annual surgical waiting list deaths of 64%. Over the past year, surgical  waiting list deaths are up 30% from those same health bodies. 

"More money won’t solve the problem. Per capita government spending on health care has  increased from $1,714 to $5,607 since 1992, nearly double the inflation rate.  

“'Ontario, Alberta, and other provinces are hiring private clinics to help provide surgery to patients in the  public system. This is a good first step,' added Craig. 'Sweden and other European countries have  shown this can help. However, more needs to be done. At the very least, governments need to do a  better job of tracking this problem and assessing just how many patients died because they had to wait too long for surgery.'" 

"To read Policy Brief: Died on a Waiting List 2023 – click here." 

Read more: https://secondstreet.org/2023/12/06/waitlist-deaths-at-five-year-high/

Read report: https://secondstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Policy-Brief-Died-on-a-Waiting-List-2023-FINAL.pdf