Sask. intake system will increase patients' access to hip, knee surgeries

The average wait time for hip replacements in the province is 309 days, nearly twice the national average of 164 days. For knee replacements, the average is 198 days, while it was 466 days in Sask. The new intake system coordinates, tracks and monitors all referrals for hip and knee replacement surgeries. Patients are given their choice of location for the surgery and the system then connects them with the surgeon that fits the patients’ choices. Initial figures show that, since the system launched in Feb., those who provide referrals and their patients chose the next available surgeon 65% of the time, while 20% of patients have opted to have their hip or knee replacement surgeries done outside of their home location. A total of 32 orthopedic surgeons are already participating in the initiative across five surgical locations.