The plan is focused on providing "sooner, safer, smarter" surgical care. It is moving us towards a coordinated system of surgical care that is centred on the needs of patients and their families, from the surgical referral right through to the patient's return home. This means Saskatchewan patients and families, no matter where they live, have access to safe, high-quality, timely surgical care, and that patients are treated as partners in maintaining their health. We envision a surgical care system in which all patients have the option of having their surgery within three months, and patients and families feel they were well-informed, involved and respected every step of the way.

• Since the Surgical Initiative was launched in April 2010, the number of patients waiting longer than 12 months for surgery has dropped 74 per cent, and the number waiting more than 6 months has dropped 53 per cent. 
• Multi-disciplinary clinics are open in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw for people considering joint replacement surgery. The clinics have improved and streamlined patient care, and have significantly increased the number of procedures completed.
• Detailed information about surgical specialists is now available to the public through an online Specialist Directory. It helps family doctors and patients work together to find the most appropriate surgeon.
• A new Surgical Information System has been introduced in hospitals in Prince Albert, Swift Current, Lloydminster and The Battlefords and will soon expand to more health regions. It improves safety, reduces cancellations through use of automated, electronic processes and allows patients more time with care providers.
• Standardized surgical safety checklists are being implemented in all operating rooms across the province. These checklists guide procedures and practices from before the patient enters the operating room until the patient has exited.
• Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region and Saskatoon Health Region have contracted with third party providers to perform day surgeries for patients on the public wait list and reduce patient wait times. Regina's contract covers dental surgeries and knee arthroscopies, and Saskatoon's is for outpatient knee and shoulder arthroscopies.
• Radiology Associates of Regina is now providing CT services within the public health system to reduce patients' wait times for CT scans.

These are just a few examples of new ideas, new technology and best practices being applied to meet the needs of Saskatchewan patients. Progress reports and updates will be provided regularly on this website.

We will increase resources in the surgical system and make better use of the resources we already have. For example, we are: 

• increasing surgical volumes in 2011-12 by 5,700 surgeries - or approximately eight per cent.
• providing additional funding to mid-sized and smaller health regions to do more surgeries;
• using third party providers to increase our surgical and diagnostic capacity;
• pooling surgical referrals so patients can see specialists sooner;
• making better use of operating room time by improving scheduling and OR allotment; and
• working to free up acute care beds for recovering surgical patients by developing other options for those awaiting long term care placement.

Even with these and other changes, shorter wait times will not happen overnight. We will need to increase our surgical capacity by an additional 31,000 surgeries over the next four years.

The plan covers all aspects of a patient's surgical journey. Many of the projects are geared toward achieving shorter wait times for health services and specialist appointments. Among other changes, patients may notice that they are able to:

• collaborate with their family doctor to choose a surgeon using the new Specialist Directory website;
• have the option of choosing the next available surgeon through pooled referrals;
• visit a multi-disciplinary clinic for a thorough assessment before being referred to an orthopaedic or spine specialist; and
• choose to have surgery in another community with a specialist who can provide surgery sooner.

We believe our targets can be met without sending patients out of province. All of the funding committed to the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative this year is being used to support surgical initiatives within Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan remains committed to the principles of publicly funded, publicly administered health care. Third party delivery is handled through health region scheduling systems to ensure that all patients are on a single list and there is no opportunity for people on the wait list to "jump the queue". Individuals are not allowed to pay privately for these services.

The Patient First Review clearly showed that people want reduced wait times for surgery. This, among many other measures, will help us achieve that.

No. Private facilities are not allowed to charge patients an additional fee for publicly insured services. Saskatchewan Health covers the cost of surgeries booked through health regions in contracted private clinics, in the same way it currently pays for surgeries provided in hospitals.

Like other types of medical care, surgery almost always involves a level of risk for the patient. Health and safety risks for surgical patients in Saskatchewan are usually very low. However, those risks can be further reduced by consistently following practices that have been proven to increase patient safety before, during and after surgery.

Through the electronic Surgical Information System, surgical safety checklists in operating rooms, programs to prevent medication errors, and protocols to reduce surgical site infections, Saskatchewan's surgical care system can be among the safest in the world.

You will be able to access more resources to help you and your family doctor choose your best surgical option. These resources include an online specialist directory that shows wait times by specialist, which procedures they perform, and whether they provide consultations electronically through Telehealth.

We are also developing tools and resources for family physicians to help patients make more informed decisions as to whether or not they should have surgery. A good example is a new online spine assessment and management course that helps physicians treat patients with low back pain, most of whom do not require a specialist referral.