'Nobody needs to suffer': Albertans still not having surgeries on time
Many Albertans needing surgeries such as hip and knee replacements aren't having the procedures done on time, according to a new study.
The data, from a Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) study released Thursday, found that patients waiting for hip replacements in Alberta are only having their surgeries done on time 59 per cent of the time.
For knee replacement surgeries it's even lower with only 49 per cent of surgeries meeting the 26-week threshold recommended for the procedures after first visiting a surgeon.
Both are below the Canadian average.
Exploring Wait Times for Priority Procedures Across Canada, the study used the same benchmark data to compare provinces across the country.
Cheryl Chui, CIHI’s director of health system analytics, says the study is based on the benchmark 26-week period from diagnosis to treatment.
"It's really sort of the date when the patient and the surgeon or the appropriate physician agreed that the surgery is required and the patient's ready to receive it," she said.
"All jurisdictions that are giving data to us use the same definition. So it is comparing apples to apples across provinces."
The study also found Alberta was below the national average for cataract surgeries and not meeting its own benchmarks.
It was just over a year ago, in a press conference alongside Premier Danielle Smith that Alberta Health Service's appointed administrator Dr. John Cowell boldly predicted an end to long surgical wait times.
“By March of 2024, nobody will be outside of clinically weighted wait times,” said Cowell.
“My team and I are absolutely confident that this is achievable.”
Sam Quartararo, a Calgary contractor recovering from double knee replacement surgery, can attest to the fact Cowell's promise was not met.
Before undergoing the procedures in early March he said he waited over two years.
"The pain was unbearable," said Quartararo. "Nobody needs to suffer the way I was suffering it was terrible."
But too many Albertans are suffering through long waits for surgery, says NDP health critic Luanne Metz.
"The thing to remember is that these times are from when they see a surgeon that puts them on the list. This doesn't include the time that they're waiting to see the surgeon. So these times are bad, they're very bad," said Metz.
"It really says that the chaos that has been created by not stabilizing and supporting our system and instead of blowing it up is having consequences for everyday Albertans who need health care."
The CIHI study examined wait lists for the period between April and September 2023.
The province does not dispute the CIHI findings, but in a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson for Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange claimed the times have improved since the CIHI data was collected.
"As of March 25, 62.2 per cent of waitlist patients for all adult surgeries are occurring within clinically recommended times," the spokesperson said in a statement.
"We know there is still room for improvement and this is why Budget 2024 invested $618 million into the Alberta Surgical Initiative plus an additional $4.4 billion towards acute care operating expenses."
The CIHI report was not all bad news.
The agency found that almost everyone (97 per cent) in Alberta needing radiation treatment for cancer received it within 28 days.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.