Graphic Intelligence

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Graph of the Week: Elective Surgery Wait Times Still Lag Behind Pre-Pandemic Levels

Note: According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the benchmark wait times are 16 weeks (112 days) for cataract surgeries and 26 weeks (182 days) for hip and knee replacements.

Source: Canadian Institute for Health Information. Wait Times for Priority Procedures in Canada — Data Tables. Ottawa, ON: CIHI; 2024.

In 2023, wait times for elective surgeries remain longer than pre-pandemic levels across most provinces. While cataract surgeries in some regions, such as Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba, have notably exceeded pre-pandemic benchmark levels, other procedures continue to fall behind. Hip and knee replacements, in particular, face significant delays across most of the country, with Newfoundland and Quebec experiencing a substantial decline in the percentage of surgeries completed within benchmark times.

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