Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Health Minister Geroge Smitherman today announced the launch of a new Web-based tool for accessing health system wait times information. Developed and implemented by ISTCL, the Health Services Wait Times by Hospital website serves the general public's need for information about how long they can expect to wait for key health services at hospitals.

For the first time in the province's history, this user-friendly, browser-based system allows Ontarians to find out how long they can expect to wait for five specific health services (cancer surgery; cardiac procedures; cataract surgery; hip and knee replacements; and MRI and CT exams) by specific, individual hospitals in Ontario that provide these services. These are services that the public has told politicians across the country to focus on fixing. Resulting from a commitment by the McGuinty government and spreading across the country, wait-times and related targets are now of national interest.

The information on the Health Services Wait Times by Hospital website will allow Ontarians to work with their physicians in making informed choices about their health care, and to track the progress the McGuinty government is making in delivering on one its key health care commitments. Wait times are one of the ways we all measure the quality of the health care we are receiving. The information provided on the new website is an important part of the Government of Ontario's Wait Time Strategy, launched in November of 2004, as part of a broader agenda to transform Ontario's health system.

"This Minister is demonstrating a powerful commitment to transforming our health care system into a truly patient-focused system," says ISTCL President Robert Preston. "Both Premier McGuinty and Minister Smitherman have tremendous foresight in recognizing that reducing wait times and transparent reporting are key steps to fixing larger issues, such as access to health care services. By funding an extraordinary increase in the number of procedures being delivered in key areas, and linking that funding to a requirement for hospitals to report wait time and quality data, the Minister is ensuring that our resources are having the greatest impact and serving the public more effectively. The Minister should be commended for sharing the most up-to-date wait time data online, so Ontarians can actively monitor the government's progress in delivering on its promise of improved health care."

Using the online tool developed by ISTCL, any Ontarian with access to an Internet connection and Web browser may:

Search a complete listing of Ontario hospitals that reported wait time data
Look at the number of hospitals that were reporting wait time data in the province
Review the number of procedures that were completed by individual hospitals
Search wait time data for a specific health care service (among the five key services)
Geographically search by postal code, city/town, or via an interactive map
Compare median and average wait times (days) for particular procedures and hospitals

To assist people in using the system, the Web tool incorporates frequently asked questions (FAQs) and links to helpful information on the MOHLTC Web site, including questions to ask your doctor and a Wait Times Data Guide.

The data on the website has been supplied and verified by individual hospitals that were funded to perform the first round of additional surgeries. This data, compiled by the Wait Time Information Office (WTIO), represents the most current and accurate information available on wait times in Ontario. The WTIO plans to regularly update the system with current information at least 6 times per year.

Although unbranded to meet Ministry Web-identity requirements, the link to the Health Services Wait Times by Hospital system on the MOHLTC Web site (located at http://www.health.gov.on.ca) connects to Web pages hosted within ISTCL’s secure web hosting environment.

For more information on the MOHLTC Wait Time Strategy, contact the MOHLTC: Call the ministry INFOline at 1-888-779-7767
Hours of operation: 8:30am - 5:00pm
E-mail: transforminghealth@moh.gov.on.ca Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Health Results Team - Access to Services/Wait Times
415 Yonge Street, 10th floor
Toronto, ON M5B 2E7

For more information about website development and web hosting packages, contact ISTCL:

Toll-Free Phone: 1.800.457.4123
General Email:Jessica Bouchard