Indicator Metadata

Wait Times for Bypass Surgery

Not applicable

The number of days a patient waited, between the date when the patient and the appropriate physician agreed to a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and the patient was ready to receive it, and the date the patient received a planned CABG

This indicator is calculated based on provincial and national wait time data for the first two quarters of the fiscal year (April–September).

Measures:

Wait times are obtained by calculating

1. The number of days that half the patients in the sample received the surgery and half are still waiting (50th percentile)
2. The number of days that 90% of patients in the sample received the surgery and 10% are still waiting (90th percentile)

Unit of Analysis: Client or patient

Calculation of all-Canada estimates

All-Canada Median and 90th Percentile Waits

The national estimate for the 50th and 90th percentiles was calculated using a weighted average of provincial submissions. Weights were calculated using provincially submitted surgical volumes.

Place of service

Number - 50th percentile, 90th percentile

None

Not applicable

Description:
Not applicable

Description:

1. The number of days that half the patients in the sample received the surgery and half are still waiting (50th percentile)
2. The number of days that 90% of patients in the sample received the surgery and 10% are still waiting (90th percentile)

Inclusions:

1. Inpatients at all provincial facilities (includes out-of-province patients)
2. Age 18 and older
3. CABG (1.IJ.76.^^ Bypass, coronary artery)
4. All priority levels

Exclusions:

1. Emergency cases
2. Days when patient was unavailable
3. Abandoned and revision procedures
4. CABG with any valve procedure or concomitant procedure (see http://indicatorlibrary.cihi.ca/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=10682387)

In 2004, Canada's first ministers agreed to work toward reducing wait times for five priority areas: cancer treatment, cardiac care, diagnostic imaging, joint replacement and sight restoration. CIHI was mandated to collect wait time information and monitor provincial progress in meeting benchmarks.

Many factors affect wait times, for example, availability of resources, efficiency of a particular facility, seasonal effects, volumes, patient choice, patient condition, follow-up care and/or treatment complexity.

This indicator can be used to understand access to care and to know how provinces are performing in terms of providing access to services for patients.

50th percentile means a time period that typical patients have to wait to receive care.

90th percentile means that provinces could treat 90% of patients within that time period.

Health System Outputs: Access to comprehensive, high-quality health services

Getting Better

The pan-Canadian benchmark specifies surgery within 2 to 26 weeks (14 to 182 days), depending on how urgently care is needed. As there is a lack of comparability in urgency levels, provinces reported the percentage of patients treated within six months until 2011. Given that the longest benchmark does not truly reflect the experiences of patients who need urgent care, this measure will no longer be reported for 2012 and onward.

Health Canada. A 10-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care. Health Canada. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/delivery-prestation/fptcollab/2004-fmm-rpm/index-eng.php. Updated September 16, 2004. Accessed June 7, 2013.

Provincial Wait Times Registry, Data may come from various sources, depending on the province.

Type of Year:
Fiscal
First Available Year:
2008
Last Available Year:
2020

Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia

National, Province/Territory

Every year

Web Tool:
Wait Times
URL: http://waittimes.cihi.ca/All/bypass

There may be some provincial exceptions to the standard methodology each year. For more information, visit the Wait Times website and view provincial exceptions (http://waittimes.cihi.ca/All/bypass).

Some provinces may have some exceptions and their methodology may be slightly different than the standard methodology. For more information, visit the Wait Times website and view provincial exceptions (http://waittimes.cihi.ca/All/bypass).

Since 2008, an increasing number of provinces have adapted to the standard methodology in order to increase the comparability of results. When comparing data for a particular province over time, attention should be given to the exceptions. For more information, visit the Wait Times website and view provincial exceptions (http://waittimes.cihi.ca/All/bypass).

Not applicable