Wait times for hip and knee replacements in Nova Scotia now shortest on record
Nova Scotia has achieved record-low wait times for hip and knee replacement surgeries, bucking the national trend of increasing delays. The improvement is attributed to a new provincial strategy that streamlines hospital workflows, modernizes booking systems, and optimizes surgical capacity.
Why it matters
This demonstrates a successful model for addressing post-pandemic healthcare backlogs that other regions may look to emulate.
August 3 | Duration 2:32 Hip and knee surgery delays in Nova Scotia have dropped, driven by streamlined hospital strategies, donor funding and new surgical technology. CBC's Jenna Olsen reports. Social Sharing Wait times for hip and knee replacements in Nova Scotia are now the shortest on record, bucking a trend seen throughout the rest of Canada where provincial waits are largely longer than they were a decade ago.
Last year, the median wait time in Nova Scotia was 103 days for a hip replacement, down from 173 in 2015, and 129 days for a knee replacement, down from 271 in 2015, according to a June report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) .
The report tracked wait times for elective procedures — including hip and knee replacements, radiation therapy and cataract surgery — from April to September of each calendar year since 2008.
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