Strategies to Shorten Waiting Periods for Hip and Knee Replacement Surgeries

Long wait times for hip and knee replacement surgeries are a significant challenge within Canada's healthcare system, often leading to increased pain, limited mobility, and overall health deterioration for patients. Addressing these delays is crucial to improving patient outcomes and health system efficiency. Recent research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal explores innovative care models aimed at reducing these wait times.

In Canada, international comparisons reveal that the country lags in providing timely scheduled surgeries. While some provinces have turned to private, for-profit surgical services, various other strategies hold promise. Notably, implementing coordinated referral systems and team-based care models can significantly decrease waiting periods.

Dr. David Urbach, a leading surgeon and healthcare researcher, highlights that models such as single-entry referral processes—where all patients are pooled into a centralized queue—and regional, team-based care approaches can effectively cut wait times. These models also have the potential to mitigate disparities linked to geographic and socioeconomic factors.

A comprehensive study evaluated three models of care using data from over 17,000 surgeries across Ontario, involving thousands of physicians, surgeons, and hospitals. The models assessed included:

1. Single-entry referral or "central intake," consolidating patients from different regions into a unified queue.
2. Team-based care, where patients after initial consultation are placed into a regional pool and scheduled for surgery within their area.
3. Fully integrated queues, which streamline patient flow through regional pools, ensuring the next available surgeon performs the operation.

Results demonstrated that both the team-based and fully integrated models substantially outperformed the single-entry referral system in reducing wait times. These approaches also promote equity by improving access for underserved populations.

Implementing these models requires strong leadership, collaboration among healthcare professionals, and strategic investments in healthcare infrastructure. While resistance exists within parts of the system, the benefits in decreasing delays and improving healthcare equity make these reforms vital.

For more detailed insights, the study "Effect of single-entry referral models and team-based care on wait times for hip and knee joint replacement in Ontario" is available via the Canadian Medical Association Journal (2025). Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-hip-knee-surgeries.html