Knowledge and behaviour for a sustainable improvement culture

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Health Services Research
• Public Policy

Background:

• Healthcare systems worldwide face challenges with patient wait times.
• Ontario's Wait Time Strategy shares similarities with the UK's approach to reducing waits.
• Implicit assumptions often focus on capacity and efficiency as primary drivers of delays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the potential risks and effectiveness of Ontario's Wait Time Strategy.
• To compare Ontario's strategy with the UK's experience in managing wait times.
• To identify critical factors for successful wait time reduction programs.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of healthcare wait time strategies.
• Review of performance measurement mechanisms and their impact on behavior.
• Examination of financial costs and patient benefit outcomes.

Main Results:

• The UK's approach achieved wait time reductions but at significant financial cost and with inconsistent patient benefit.
• Ontario's strategy may carry inherent risks due to superficial understanding of wait time causes.
• Effective strategies require addressing root causes, aligning measurement with behavior, and fostering a supportive culture.

Conclusions:

• Ontario's Wait Time Strategy requires careful consideration of potential risks and unintended consequences.
• Sustainable wait time improvements depend on a holistic understanding of system dynamics, not just performance metrics.
• Successful wait time management necessitates a consistent approach integrating clinical practice, management style, and stakeholder engagement.