Changes in waiting lists over time

Background: Governments in Canada have committed $5.5 billion to shorten waiting lists. There is little information about changes in waiting lists over time except the perception that they are getting longer. Methods: Monthly data from the Misericordia Cataract Waiting List Program from 2000 to 2006 were used to examine changes in the length of the waiting list per surgeon over time. The data were analyzed to see whether changes in the length of a surgeon's list from month to month appeared to influence his or her threshold for booking surgery. Results: The overall length of the waiting lists decreased during the study period. Individual surgeons' lists fluctuated markedly. Surgeons were not found to adjust their threshold for booking surgery to maintain the length of their lists. Interpretation: Committing extra resources to shorten waiting lists is successful. Surgeons do not appear to be manipulating their threshold for booking surgery to maintain the length of their waiting list. Individual surgeons' waiting list lengths are surprisingly dynamic. More study is needed on the variation in length of waiting lists and the longitudinal change over time if all patients are to receive their surgery within recommended benchmark wait times.