ARCHIVED - Conference Presentation

The following is a text version of the presentation given at the Conference on Timely Access To Health Care, held February 8-9, 2007 in Toronto, Ontario.

Ontario's Wait Time Information Strategy

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Presentation Outline

• Ontario's Wait Time Strategy: A Multipronged Approach
• Wait Times is an Information Problem . ..
• Principles
• Wait Time Information System . . .
• How it works . . .
• Implementation has exceeded objectives
• 90% of Cataract Surgeries Completed Within
• Surgeons can track and assess patient queues
• Government has a more detailed understanding of regional differences to target improvement efforts
• Patients using information to decide about care
• Next?

Ontario's Wait Time Strategy:  A Multipronged Approach

Wait Times is an Information Problem . ..

In November 2004

• Surgeons maintained their own patients' queues in their offices
• Hospitals/surgical chiefs had no way of knowing what the access picture looks like
• Hospitals allocated resources (OR time) with minimal if any regard to access issues
• Government allocated resources to hospitals with minimal if any regard to access issues
• Patients and primary caregivers referred to surgeons based on relationships and hearsay
• Public could not hold government and system accountable on the most critical issue of the day

Principles

• Leverage other work
• Wait list management AND wait times reporting are equally pressing goals
• One solution
• Focus on "big five" scope - to build out later
• Transparency in all respects
• Field expert-driven and defined (and redefined)
• Momentum outweighs alignment and perfection

Wait Time Information System . . .

How it works . . .

• WTIS captures actual waits in near real-time electronically from surgeon's offices, diagnostic imaging departments and hospital information systems

Implementation has exceeded objectives

90% of Cataract Surgeries Completed Within

Surgeons can track and assess patient queues

Government has a more detailed understanding of regional differences to target improvement efforts

Patients using information to decide about care

Public/media can hold government to account

Public information is engendering competition and innovation

Ontario Wait Times
www.ontariowaittimes.com

Next?

• Build out piece by piece to reflect and help clinicians, administrators, patients and their families navigate through the whole system
  • All Surgery
  • Wait 1
• Continue bottom up and pan-canadian collaboration
  • Ontario and the Western Health Information Collaborative leading this effort
  • Critical mass requires greater structure, support and investment
• Leverage current investments, and advocate for more
  • Broad transformation effects have significant benefit