News Release
2007-34
March 30, 2007
For immediate release
Manitoba joins with Canada's New Government to announce Patient Wait Times Guarantee
WINNIPEG - The Honourable Tony Clement, Federal Minister of Health, and the Honourable Theresa Oswald, Minister of Health for Manitoba today announced that Manitoba will establish a Patient Wait Times Guarantee for radiation therapy by spring 2008, to be supported by $27.9 million in federal funding. Manitoba will also be eligible to benefit from the $400 million in new funding for Canada Health Infoway, and the $30 million for pilot projects as announced in Budget 2007.
"We congratulate Manitoba for joining the growing list of provinces that are working with Canada's New Government in making this important commitment for the health of Canadians," said Minister Clement. "Today's announcement shows that Canada's New Government is getting things done to reduce wait times and improve timely access for people in Manitoba."
The radiation therapy guarantee will offer Manitobans alternate options of care should the common medically recommended benchmark timeframe for the service be exceeded. The current benchmark timeframe for radiation therapy is four weeks.
Manitoba will also undertake a pilot project to improve the referral system between family doctors and specialists to reduce the time patients wait to see a specialist in the areas of cataract, cardiac, cancer and orthopaedics.
"Today, Manitoba is recognized as a leader in radiation therapy. When we took office in 1999, waits for cancer radiation therapy were dangerously long. Through the hard work and dedication of our health care professionals, we have reduced the median wait time for radiation therapy to one week," said the Honourable Theresa Oswald, Manitoba Minister of Health. "This partnership between Manitoba and Canada's New Government will help to further our progression in reducing wait times for all Manitobans."
This announcement marks another step forward by Canada's New Government as it continues to work towards ensuring that all Canadians receive essential medical treatment within clinically acceptable wait times.
Canada's New Government intends to provide up to $612 million in a Patient Wait Times Guarantee Trust, $400 million for health information technology through Infoway, an organization which is making significant progress in working with provinces and territories to implement electronic health records, and $30 million over three years to provinces and territories for pilot projects related to establishing guarantees.
"We commend Manitoba for joining the other provinces and territories that are working with Canada's New Government to deliver a patient wait times guarantee," said the Honourable Vic Toews, Regional Minister Responsible for Manitoba and President of the Treasury Board.
Today's announcement complements a number of previously launched pilot projects toward achieving timely access to better care. These include three which are designed to test guarantees for prenatal and diabetes care in selected First Nations communities, while a fourth is a national paediatric pilot project to address wait times for children in need of surgery.
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Media Enquiries:
Carole Saindon
Health Canada
(613) 957-1588
Erik Waddell
Office of the Honourable Tony Clement
Federal Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200
Public Enquiries:
(613) 957-2991
1-866 225-0709
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