Plastic surgery wait times in Ontario: A potential surrogate for workforce demand

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Surgical Workforce Analysis
• Healthcare Policy

Background:

• Accurate plastic surgeon workforce projections are vital for healthcare standards and resource allocation.
• Wait-time data can identify areas needing more plastic surgeons.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze plastic surgery wait times in Ontario.
• To assess the relationship between plastic surgeon density and wait times.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of Ontario's Wait Time Information System data (2009-2010).
• Comparison of wait times with Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons benchmarks.
• Assessment of plastic surgeon density using Ontario Physician Human Resources Data Centre data.

Main Results:

• Aggregate plastic surgery wait times exceeded benchmarks for priority 2 (35 vs. 28 days) and priority 3 (101 vs. 84 days) cases.
• Wait times surpassed provincial standards in southwestern, eastern, and northeastern Ontario regions.
• A negative correlation between surgeon density and wait times was found for priority 4 cases, but a positive correlation for priority 2 and 3 cases.

Conclusions:

• Plastic surgery wait times in Ontario exceed benchmarks in multiple regions.
• Higher plastic surgeon density correlated with longer wait times for high-priority cases.
• Further research is needed on patient mobility, physician practices, and hospital resource availability.