HALIFAX - Surgical wait times at Nova Scotia's largest hospital far exceed the national standard, leaving people in chronic pain for years while they await procedures that might take a fraction of the time elsewhere, according to a new report.
Someone needing a hip replacement at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, for example, faces a wait of up to two years, while a patient will wait at least 18 months just to get a medical consultation.
Doctors and administrators released a new strategy Thursday to address mounting backlogs and inefficiencies that have left more than 5,000 people awaiting surgery - 60 per of whom are waiting longer than the national standard.
"We can deal in a timely fashion with the very urgent patients," said Dr. Jaap Bonjer, head of surgery for the regional health authority.
"But we still have to look after 5,000 patients who are waiting for less urgent, but no less important surgeries."
The majority of those -- 3,700 -- are awaiting orthopedic procedures such as hip and knee replacements.
Dr. David Amirault, the hospital's chief of orthopedics, said the health district is lacking enough staff to deal with a steady demand for orthopedic services, while more money is needed to create clinics to deal with such cases.
"The bottom line is that you need more start times in a hospital," he said.
Bonjer said the new plan will spread certain procedures among medical facilities and clinics throughout the region and give patients the option of a shorter wait if they choose to go to a different hospital.
That could reduce the wait for certain procedures by 18 weeks, officials said.
Bonjer said they could divert day surgeries to a Halifax military medical facility to free up space at the main hospital and speed up the pace of the procedures.
"Expanding long-term care facilities and shortening hospital stays are pivotal," he said.
Bonjer said it will take at least two years to reach the federal benchmark for orthopedic wait lists. The federal benchmark is an average wait of 26 weeks for a hip replacement, versus 104 weeks at the QEII.
Health Minister Chris d'Entremont said there could be more money in the future for the project if needed, but said the strategy should alleviate certain surgical wait times that have put the province far behind Alberta and other jurisdictions.
More than 11,000 people are also stuck in a backlog, awaiting surgical consultations.
Bonjer says some surgical wait times have already been reduced, but others might face further delays as the province grapples with a nursing shortage.
Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil praised the initiative, but criticized the Tory government for failing to take action and instead making the hospital physicians develop a plan.
"This is a step in the right direction, but the leadership has not been shown by goverment," he said. "Government doesn't have an answer for this issue."
McNeil said the province isn't truly concerned about resolving the chronic problems of wait times and staff shortages as it plans to introduce legislation stripping health-care workers of the right to strike.
