Two doctors groups in British Columbia say there is a "wait-list crisis" for specialists that is severely compromising the health and well-being of residents.
Doctors of BC and the Consultant Specialists of BC say they surveyed nearly 1,000 specialists and found that about 1.2 million patients are waiting too long to see a health expert in areas such as cardiology, neurology, orthopedic surgery, and urology.
The groups say in a statement that 63 per cent of the survey respondents say their wait-lists have grown longer in the last two years, placing additional strain on practitioners and their patients.
Dr. Robert Carruthers, president of Consultant Specialists of BC, says they began working with the Ministry of Health in 2022 on a plan to capture wait-list data, while providing specialists with new tools to bring down wait-lists, but the ministry has indicated the funding for that work is no longer available.
The groups have outlined five solutions, including modernizing the wait-list management system, expanding team-based specialist care, investing in training and recruitment, enhancing rural outreach and bringing in flexible payment models.
The doctors groups say they hope the ministry will come back to the table and find funding to kick-start their recommendations.
No one from the Health Ministry was immediately available to provide a response.
