The Canadi- ing for-profit clinics to sell services to the public an debate has wrongly assumed that the only such sector and to any individual who has the cash to clinics are for-profit businesses. [...] Most the ultrasound, and sometimes the biopsy as well, patients are more than happy to see the first avail- on the same day. [...] They are aggressively de- The second new public sector approach to veloping for-profit clinics to sell services to the health care waits is the use of applications of public sector and any individual who has the cash queueing theory to manage waits and delays. [...] But the appropriate solution, in this case, is to increase the capacity of the in a peer-reviewed journal, and the physicians' public hospitals and clinics. [...] For The waits in the arena are longer if all the fans example, 10% of patients booked for ultrasound come just before the game starts, and may be non- examinations at the QEII Hospital in Halifax existent if people arrive in a constant stream dur- in July 2005 did not show up for their appoint- ing the hour prior to game time.

The report reviews a range of policies that countries have used to tackle waiting times for different services, including elective surgery and primary care consultations, but also cancer care and mental health services, with a focus on identifying the most successful ones.

Waits for care are the biggest political issue facing Canadian health care. Both citizens and providers are concerned that too many waits are too long and put some patients at risk.

According to Transforming Health Care Scheduling and Access, long waits for treatment are a function of the disjointed manner in which most health systems have evolved to accommodate the needs and the desires of doctors and administrators, rather than those of patients. The result is a health care system that deploys its most valuable resource-highly trained personnel-inefficiently, leading to an unnecessary imbalance between the demand for appointments and the supply of open appointments. This study makes the case that by using the techniques of systems engineering, new approaches to management, and increased patient and family involvement, the current health care system can move forward to one with greater focus on the preferences of patients to provide convenient, efficient, and excellent health care without the need for costly investment. Transforming Health Care Scheduling and Access identifies best practices for making significant improvements in access and system-level change. This report makes recommendations for principles and practices to improve access by promoting efficient scheduling. This study will be a valuable resource for practitioners to progress toward a more patient-focused "How can we help you today?" culture.

This book provides a framework to understand why there are waiting lists for elective surgery in some OECD countries and not in others. It also describes how waiting times are measured in OECD countries and reviews different policy approaches to tackling excessive waiting times.