(20a-OI) Median waiting times for non-emergency surgeries, household population aged 15 and over, Canada and provinces, 2003

Median waiting times for non-emergency   surgeries Non-emergency surgeries
2003  
Canada  
Number of persons 1,508,230
Low 95% confidence interval 1,397,521
High 95% confidence interval 1,618,938
Coefficient of variation 3.8
Median waiting time (weeks) 4.3
Low 95% confidence interval 3.9
High 95% confidence interval 4.7
Coefficient of variation 4.8
Age-standardized median 4.3
Low 95% confidence interval 3.9
High 95% confidence interval 4.6
Coefficient of variation 4.1
Newfoundland and Labrador  
Number of persons 32,332
Low 95% confidence interval 25,318
High 95% confidence interval 39,345
Coefficient of variation 11.1
Median waiting time (weeks) 4.0 E
Low 95% confidence interval 2.4 E
High 95% confidence interval 5.6 E
Coefficient of variation 20.2 E
Age-standardized median 4.3 E
Low 95% confidence interval 2.9 E
High 95% confidence interval 5.7 E
Coefficient of variation 16.9 E
Prince Edward Island  
Number of persons 7,441
Low 95% confidence interval 5,504
High 95% confidence interval 9,378
Coefficient of variation 13.3
Median waiting time (weeks) 4.3 E
Low 95% confidence interval 2.7 E
High 95% confidence interval 5.9 E
Coefficient of variation 19.0 E
Age-standardized median 4.3 E
Low 95% confidence interval 2.6 E
High 95% confidence interval 6.0 E
Coefficient of variation 20.4 E
Nova Scotia  
Number of persons 65,802
Low 95% confidence interval 51,805
High 95% confidence interval 79,799
Coefficient of variation 10.9
Median waiting time (weeks) 4.3 E
Low 95% confidence interval 1.7 E
High 95% confidence interval 6.9 E
Coefficient of variation 30.8 E
Age-standardized median 4.3 E
Low 95% confidence interval 2.6 E
High 95% confidence interval 6.0 E
Coefficient of variation 20.6 E
New Brunswick  
Number of persons 45,010
Low 95% confidence interval 37,871
High 95% confidence interval 52,150
Coefficient of variation 8.1
Median waiting time (weeks) 4.3
Low 95% confidence interval 3.4
High 95% confidence interval 5.2
Coefficient of variation 10.4
Age-standardized median 4.3
Low 95% confidence interval 3.2
High 95% confidence interval 5.4
Coefficient of variation 13.5
Quebec  
Number of persons 254,281
Low 95% confidence interval 204,932
High 95% confidence interval 303,629
Coefficient of variation 9.9
Median waiting time (weeks) 8.6
Low 95% confidence interval 6.3
High 95% confidence interval 10.8
Coefficient of variation 13.5
Age-standardized median 8.6
Low 95% confidence interval 7.4
High 95% confidence interval 9.7
Coefficient of variation 6.8
Ontario  
Number of persons 597,003
Low 95% confidence interval 511,991
High 95% confidence interval 682,016
Coefficient of variation 7.3
Median waiting time (weeks) 4.3
Low 95% confidence interval 3.7
High 95% confidence interval 4.9
Coefficient of variation 7.5
Age-standardized median 4.3
Low 95% confidence interval 3.7
High 95% confidence interval 4.8
Coefficient of variation 6.4
Manitoba  
Number of persons 65,277
Low 95% confidence interval 53,819
High 95% confidence interval 76,735
Coefficient of variation 9.0
Median waiting time (weeks) 4.3
Low 95% confidence interval 3.4
High 95% confidence interval 5.2
Coefficient of variation 11.1
Age-standardized median 4.3
Low 95% confidence interval 3.4
High 95% confidence interval 5.2
Coefficient of variation 10.9
Saskatchewan  
Number of persons 60,255
Low 95% confidence interval 49,972
High 95% confidence interval 70,539
Coefficient of variation 8.7
Median waiting time (weeks) 6.0 E
Low 95% confidence interval 3.1 E
High 95% confidence interval 8.9 E
Coefficient of variation 24.8 E
Age-standardized median 5.0 E
Low 95% confidence interval 2.0 E
High 95% confidence interval 8.0 E
Coefficient of variation 31.1 E
Alberta  
Number of persons 154,086
Low 95% confidence interval 124,243
High 95% confidence interval 183,929
Coefficient of variation 9.9
Median waiting time (weeks) 4.0 E
Low 95% confidence interval 2.5 E
High 95% confidence interval 5.5 E
Coefficient of variation 19.5 E
Age-standardized median 4.0 E
Low 95% confidence interval 2.6 E
High 95% confidence interval 5.4 E
Coefficient of variation 18.3 E
British Columbia  
Number of persons 226,743
Low 95% confidence interval 191,242
High 95% confidence interval 262,244
Coefficient of variation 8.0
Median waiting time (weeks) 4.3 E
Low 95% confidence interval 2.8 E
High 95% confidence interval 5.7 E
Coefficient of variation 17.2 E
Age-standardized median 4.3
Low 95% confidence interval 3.1
High 95% confidence interval 5.5
Coefficient of variation 14.2
1. Data source: Statistics Canada, Health Services Access Survey, supplement to the Canadian Community Health Survey, 2003
2. Based on household population aged 15 and over reporting a need for a specialist visit, a non-emergency surgery or a selected diagnostic test in past 12 months.
3. “Waiting times” is defined as follows: for “specialist visits”, time between when individuals and their doctor decided that they should see a specialist and when they actually visited the specialist; for “non-emergency surgeries”, time between when individuals and their surgeon decided to go ahead with the surgery and the day of surgery; and for “selected diagnostic tests”, time between when individuals and their doctor decided to go ahead with the test and the day of the test.
4. “Non-emergency surgeries” includes a booked or planned surgery provided on an outpatient or inpatient basis. Does not refer to surgery provided through an admission to the hospital emergency room as a result of, for example, an accident or life-threatening situation.
5. Analysis excludes non-response (“don’t know”, “not stated”, and “refusal”).
6. Medians are age-standardized using the direct method and the 1991 Canadian Census population structure. The use of a standard population results in more meaningful comparisons because it adjusts for variations in population age distributions over time and across geographic areas.
7. Bootstrapping techniques were used to produce the coefficient of variation (CV) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
8. Data with a coefficient of variation (CV) from 16.6% to 33.3% are identified by an (E) and should be interpreted with caution.
9. Data with a coefficient of variation (CV) greater than 33.3% were suppressed (F) due to extreme sampling variability.
10. CANSIM table number 01053001.