Surgical wait times in Saskatchewan are dropping.
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health says the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative's emphasis on sooner surgical care is paying off.
Since 2007, the number of patients waiting more than 18 months for surgery has dropped 83 per cent. As of Oct. 31, 2011, there were 458 people waiting more than a year and a half. That number is down 71 per cent from April 2010.
Patients waiting more than 12 and six months have also dropped by 68 and 49 per cent respectively. The latest numbers show that 1,628 patients are waiting more than 12 months, and 5,459 are waiting more than six months for surgery.
In April 2010, nearly 4,000 people were waiting more than 12 months, and almost 10,000 were waiting more than six.
According to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, 99 per cent of surgeries in the province currently are completed within 18 months.
The Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative was created to improve patient experience from the beginning of their medical journey through to recovery. They're goal is to give all Saskatchewan patients the opportunity to have surgery within three months by 2014.
