Wait list task force paused despite local benefits

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This article was published 06/11/2023 (1090 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Southern Health CEO Jane Curtis at the Oct. 18 AGM said they were seeing results from working with the provincial diagnostic and surgical recovery task force to recover access to care and to improve waitlists. Less than a week later, new NDP Premier Wab Kinew and Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said they told the task force to stop committing to any new initiatives.

Kinew said he heard concerns about a lack of oversight around decision-making by the task force. His stated goal is to reduce bureaucracy and evaluate spending.

“In particular, that they were making decisions about spending without having a system-wide view of what’s happening in the health care system,” Kinew told media at the Oct. 24 announcement.

In an interview with The Carillon, Minister Asagwara explained how any effort already started by Southern Health with the task force can continue.

“Any initiatives that have been ongoing in terms of folks being able to get access to healthcare are able to proceed. So we are not going to disrupt the ability for Manitobans to follow through with their scheduled procedures, etcetera. We recognize that’s really important,” explained Asagwara.

“What we have done is put a pause on other activities of the task force so we can properly assess where things are at and how we need to move forward. And that’s really just a responsible approach from a responsible government, right? That’s making sure we have a true understanding of what practices are in place, where things are at, and so we can develop a thoughtful, intentional, positively impactful plan moving forward in the best interest of Manitobans.”

Asagwara said initiatives that health authorities may have planned to start with the task force can be brought forward to others in the government, but did not say who.

“I think it’s important that if Southern Health has initiatives that they brought forward, it’s important for folks to recognize there are a number of ways in which these things get off the ground and happen. We as a government do our due diligence in terms of listening to community organizations, listening to regional health authorities in terms of what their needs are, and working collaboratively to make sure that Manitobans have access to the healthcare that they need,” said Asagwara.

“Our direction to the surgical and diagnostic recovery (sic) task force was direction that was important and necessary to make sure that we have a plan in place moving forward that prioritizes the people of Manitoba and make sure that as a government we have a full picture of what’s going on and how to best proceed,” they continued.

“I think it’s important for people to know and understand that these things take time, and you take that pause that you can get a full sense of what is actually going on and move on from there.”

Asagwara did not answer whether any other health program was put on hold to investigate, or why the task force in particular was chosen to be paused, only saying repeatedly that it was “responsible and appropriate.”

“Our government is certainly not preventing folks from bringing good ideas forward. Our government is listening to ideas being brought forward and wants to work with different organizations to ensure that we are bringing plans forward that are in the best interest of Manitobans. And there are ways for organizations to do just that,” said Asagwara.

The task force was created in 2021 by the previous Progressive Conservative government, which said as of March 31 of this year, 132 separate initiatives were proposed, reviewed, approved and funded with $240 million. The Manitoba Health website said the task force’s work helped reduce backlogs for 35 of 36 surgical or diagnostic procedures it was working on, including eliminating the backlog for 17 procedures and reducing the backlog by 50 percent or more for another five procedures.

When asked to speak to administration or board members about how the pausing of new initiatives for the task force would affect Southern Health’s efforts, media relations said they were “unable to respond” and directed all questions to Minister Asagwara’s office.

The Minister’s communications person Naline Rampersad said there was no order for Southern Health to not communicate to media about the task force change, but that it was asked that questions be directed to the Ministry because it was an announcement from the Minister and Premier.

The Southern Health AGM report said expanded surgeries in Winkler allowed for 120 more hip and knee replacements, raising the total to 597 in a year at Boundary Trails Health Centre. The wait time target for these types of surgeries is 26 weeks, and now sits at 36 weeks as Southern Health catches up post-pandemic.

Wait times were down for the 258 cataract surgeries to just over nine weeks, much lower than the 16-week target.

The new surgical urology program at Ste-Anne Hospital was the other listed accomplishment through task force and Southern Health collaboration. It is the first time the service is available in Southern Health.

Minister Asagwara said they would not get into details about what was discussed with the 13-member task force steering committee made up of doctors, nurses, and citizen representatives.

“We’ve really communicated that certain activities need to be paused, and it’s really important that we assess things overall and get a good look and understanding of what’s going on so that we proceed in a manner that’s in the best needs and interests of Manitobans,” said Asagwara.

The task force committee includes doctors appointed as the provincial specialty leads in surgery, anesthesia, diagnostic imaging, and diagnostic laboratory services, a general surgeon, and two registered nurses, along with a Manitoba Metis Federation representative, a patient representative, and two citizen representatives.

The chair is Dr. Peter MacDonald, the chief innovation and research officer and department of surgery medical director at the Pan Am Clinic, and University of Manitoba department of surgery professor and Gibson Chair of orthopaedic surgery. MacDonald also serves as head team physician of the Winnipeg Jets and head orthopaedic surgeon of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The question of any risk of losing the experts and their expertise on the task force was put to Asagwara.

“We have incredible experts here in Manitoba who are eager to work with our government and who have very excitedly come forward to express for the first time in a long time their hopefulness that there’s a government in place that values their expertise, and that wants to listen to what they have to say and work with them to improve healthcare in our province,” answered Asagwara.

“And I think the signal we sent to healthcare workers including specialists in positions is that we respect them, we value their expertise, we want them to stay working in Manitoba, and we look forward to working with them moving forward to strengthen healthcare across the province. From what I’m hearing from physicians and other folks is that message has been heard loud and clear,” they added.

According to the Health Ministry’s website, the task force called for, assessed and funded proposals to solve patient backlogs in the near and medium-term from service delivery organizations within Manitoba’s healthcare system like Southern Health, other Manitoba-based healthcare service providers, and out-of-province service providers including in the U.S. and Ontario.