Public solutions to wait times

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Published on Monday, 29 August 2016 07:30
Written by editor
NationBuilder r1 Paov -- Surgeons in an operating room

Next week, Dr. Brian Day will be in court arguing that allowing doctors to charge whatever they want in for-profit clinics will make wait lists shorter.

Meanwhile, international evidence shows that for-profit care makes wait times longer for most people.

There are proven public system solutions that would dramatically shorten wait lists for everyone in B.C. - but we need the Provincial Government to make reducing wait times a priority.[1]

Tell Premier Clark and Health Minister Lake: We need public solutions to wait times now!

Richmond Hospital cut wait times for hip and knee replacements from 20 months to 5 months simply by using two operating rooms,... and having operating teams move between them. All hospitals in B.C. could use this model, but it would take provincial leadership to make it happen.[2]

So far, the provincial government’s primary solution has been to contract surgeries out to private for-profit clinics. But contracting out is an expensive band-aid solution that does not fix the causes of long wait times.

We need real, long-term public solutions to wait times now.

People in B.C. deserve public solutions to wait times - improvements that make sure everyone gets care on time.

Unless our government takes action soon, profit-minded critics like Brian Day will continue to push for changes that benefit only a privileged few, lining the pockets of private clinic shareholders at the expense of people in pain.

Click here to add your voice to the call for public solutions to wait times.

Thank you for supporting improvements to our health care system,

Edith, BC Health Coalition Co-Chair

p.s. 18% of operating rooms in B.C.'s public hospitals are not regularly staffed, and none have extended hours [1]. The B.C. government themselves have said we need to use our operating rooms to full capacity - ask them to take action now to reduce waits.


[1,2] Reducing Surgical Wait Times: The Case for Public Innovation and Provincial Leadership (2016). Andrew Longhurst, Marcy Cohen and Dr. Margaret McGregor

[3] Future Directions for Surgical Services in British Columbia (2015). Ministry of Health and the Provincial Surgical Executive Committee.

British Columbia Health Coalition · 3102 Main St, 302, Vancouver, Unceded Coast Salish Territories, BC V5T 3G7, Canada
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