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036 WAIT TIME FOR ENDOSCOPIC EVALUATION AT A CANADIAN TERTIARY CARE CENTRE: COMPARISON TO CAG TARGETS D Yu, WM Hopman, WG Paterson BACKGROUND: In recent years there has been considerable concern about wait times for health care in Canada, which lead the CAG to develop specific wait time targets. Limited information is available regarding how well these targets are being met and the impact this has on patient care.
GI Diseases Research Unit, Hotel Dieu Hospital; Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario
The objective of the present study was to: 1) quantify wait times for GI endoscopic procedures at a tertiary care centre and correlate this with the clinical presentation, impact on quality of life (QOL), and final diagnosis; 2) determine how well recently developed CAG wait time targets are being met.
METHODS: Patients awaiting an outpatient endoscopic procedure were issued a 12-item questionnaire regarding waiting times and the impact on QOL. Total wait times (from initial GP referral) were determined and a blind review was performed of the endoscopic results, with specific focus on correlating wait time with final diagnosis for serious and treatable diseases.
RESULTS: 417 participants (mean age 53) were recruited. The average total wait time for an endoscopic procedure was 233.6 days. 38.4% of patients felt their wait was too long (10.8% deemed the wait "far too long"), 13.9% missed school/work in the preceding month because of ongoing GI symptoms, and 11.3% reported being very worried about having a serious disease (i.e. scored =>6 on 7 point Likert scale). Based on the chief reason for referral, 80.3% of participants did not meet CAG wait time targets. The average wait time for 153 participants waiting for screening endoscopic procedures was 393 days, with 83.3% not meeting the CAG wait time target of less than 6 months. The average wait time for 38 participants referred for iron deficiency anemia or positive fecal occult blood test was 125 days, with 53.3% meeting the target of less than 2 months. The 41 patients deemed to have a 'high impact' diagnosis (predetermined independently by a panel of 5 Gastroenterologists) established by endoscopy waited an average of 113.2 days, and only 23.5% met CAG wait time targets.
CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients waiting for GI endoscopic procedures did not meet CAG wait time targets. Many of these patients are awaiting definitive diagnosis of serious diseases that negatively impact quality of life.