Ontario Expands Access to GI Endoscopy Procedures to Cut Wait Times
TORONTO — The Ontario government is taking a significant step to reduce surgical wait times by adding approximately 60,000 gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy procedures annually at community surgical and diagnostic centres across the province. This expansion is part of the “Your Health” plan, aiming to make publicly-funded surgeries and procedures more accessible to Ontarians.
Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones highlighted the urgency of the initiative, stating, “When it comes to wait times for surgeries and procedures, the status quo is not acceptable. That’s why our government is taking bold action to boost access to surgeries and diagnostic imaging so Ontarians can conveniently access the care they need sooner, closer to home.”
Ontario currently leads Canada in the shortest surgical wait times, with over 80% of procedures being completed within clinically recommended timelines as of July 2024. The increased availability of GI endoscopy procedures is expected to further reduce wait times for these essential diagnostic services, improving early detection and treatment of diseases.
Our government is taking bold action to make it faster and easier to access care by increasing capacity and reducing wait times.
The call for applications is now open for community surgical and diagnostic centres who wish to provide GI endoscopy procedures in their community. pic.twitter.com/0DFqO4Msbt
— Sylvia Jones (@SylviaJonesMPP) August 26, 2024
A call for applications for new licences for these procedures opens today, with new centres expected to be operational by Winter 2025. This expansion builds on previous efforts to enhance medical services across the province. In June, the government launched a call for applications to expand access to MRI and CT scans, aiming to connect nearly 100,000 more people to these services each year. Later this fall, another call will focus on increasing access to orthopedic surgeries.
The Ontario government’s commitment to enhancing healthcare access also includes recent achievements such as funding over 65,000 MRI and 31,000 CT operating hours in community centres, adding 49 new MRI machines in hospitals, and establishing new cataract centres. Additionally, the province successfully eliminated the backlog of cervical cancer screening tests by August 2023, returning testing turnaround times to pre-pandemic standards.
As part of ensuring quality care, all new community surgical and diagnostic centres will be integrated into the public health system. This includes maintaining detailed staffing plans to protect hospital resources, reporting into the province’s wait times system, and participating in regional central intakes. The centres will also be subject to oversight by Accreditation Canada’s new quality assurance program, ensuring patient safety and consistent care standards.
With these initiatives, the Ontario government continues its focus on improving healthcare accessibility and reducing wait times, ensuring that more Ontarians can receive timely and essential medical care.
