Waiting Your Turn
The Fraser Institute’s 20th annual waiting list survey covers physicians across 12 specialties and 10 Canadian provinces. They report:
- A total waiting time of 18.2 weeks between referral from a general practitioner and elective treatment in 2010.
- Patients wait longest to undergo orthopedic surgery (35.6 weeks) and wait least for medical oncology treatment (4.9 weeks).
From an economic standpoint, a study by Stokes and Somerville (2008) found that the cumulative total lost economic output that represents the cost of waiting for treatment for total joint replacement surgery, cataract surgery, coronary artery bypass graft surgery and MRI scans in 2007 was an estimated $14.8 billion.
As Canada goes, so goes the US.
I think this is awful and I think it is what is coming our way in this country.
What are the comparative numbers for the US?
artk, it’s definitely getting worse in this country, as we become more like Canada. But still not as bad.
John, that opinion based on anecdote. I’d be broke if I traded on anecdote. How about facts, differences in waiting times for comparable procedures, did the differences in waiting times have a impact on outcomes.
PS: Your keeping donor information secret, its not just me who’s concerned, the AEA is looking into a code of conduct where economists have to disclose funding sources.