Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative - Sooner, Safer, Smarter

Saskatchewan is making progress on its plan to transform surgical care for patients.

The Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative is striving to improve surgical patients' care experience and ensure that by 2014, all patients have the option of receiving their surgery within three months.

By the end of 2011-12, the goal is to reduce all surgical wait times to less than 12 months.

Progress made to date is outlined in a Year One Progress Report.
Highlights of Year One include:

• fewer long-waiting surgical patients (patients waiting over 18 months down 57%; patients waiting over 12 months down 37%)
• an online Specialist Directory to help physicians and patients choose the most appropriate specialist 
• patient "pathways" that streamline care
• third party delivery of selected day surgeries
• quality improvement programs that increase efficiency
• funding for increased surgical capacity in regional hospitals

Click on the links below to find out more about the innovative work underway in support of the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative.

The Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative was the first major initiative arising from Saskatchewan's 2009 independent
Patient First Review.

It identified surgical wait times as a key concern for patients and families, and provided recommendations about improving surgical care and reducing wait times.

The next initiative arising from the Patient First Review will focus on redesigning Saskatchewan's primary health care system.