On the heels of a report focused on what patients want from the Saskatchewan health-care system, the provincial government has announced new health measures.
Among them is a promise that within four years, surgical wait times will be reduced to no more than three months. A physician recruitment strategy, re-establishment of a provincial addictions treatment agency and steps to reduce tobacco use are other initiatives.
All were part of the province’s throne speech last week.
Premier Brad Wall said the publicly funded system will have to be expanded to catch up on a backlog of patients, particularly those waiting for orthopedic surgery.
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“If you apply some resources on a one-time basis you can deal with the backlog,” he said.
There are about 27,000 people waiting for surgery now. Wall said 4,000 of those have been waiting for a year, while 15,000 have been waiting for more than three months.
The premier said he has asked the health ministry to look at all options to reduce the backlog, as long as they are available under a public single payer system.
“There will not be queue jumping,” he said. “There will not be the chance for people to put down a credit card and pay for a surgeon.”
But private partners might have to be used to catch up, he said. In Alberta, private clinics perform some surgeries to help keep wait times down.
Maximize use of facilities
Wall noted unused operating theatres exist at facilities outside major centres, but they could be used if surgeons can be hired.
“It’s a question of finding the money,” he said.
Meanwhile, the province is looking at programs to encourage doctors to work in rural Saskatchewan.
The Patient First Review, conducted by former Royal University Hospital chief executive officer Tony Dagnone, recommended a strategy for rural and remote residents.
He said the strategy would improve access to primary health, diagnostic and specialist services, examine the costs of emergency transportation and interfacility transfers, and include support for people who have to leave home to get certain health services.
Patients told Dagnone that they want better services closer to home and related stories of travelling hours for an appointment of just a few minutes.
He urged urban health regions to better co-ordinate patient appointments and tests so patients aren’t travelling several hours several times.
As well, Dagnone said health-care providers must be prepared to change.
“Patients and families must be restored to their rightful place as the centre of focus for health service planners, leaders, providers and policy makers,” he said.
Dagnone said the collective bargaining system has become outdated and does not consider patients. There must be a shift in culture, he said, toward the patient first model.
