With a backlog in surgeries resulting in longer-than-ever wait times, there’s a need to change how Canada’s health system uses medical technologies to alleviate this burden.
According to a recent report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), “provinces and territories will need to exceed pre-pandemic surgery numbers in order to recover and to reduce surgical backlogs.” This challenge is exacerbated with the reduced availability and shortages of health care workers across Canada – leaving patients waiting in agony for procedures that can improve their lives and potential re-introduction into Canada’s workforce.
Fortunately, there’s an increased recognition of the importance of this issue, and it was heartening to see the recent 10-year health care funding agreement between the provinces and the territories, and its inclusion of surgical and procedural wait times being a focus area.
As federal, provincial, and territorial leaders begin to implement these new funding agreements, they’re urged to consider the important role that innovative medical technologies can play in helping to address surgical and procedural backlogs – reducing burdens on Canada’s health care workforce. Additionally, many medical technologies can contribute to creating critically important health system efficiencies—helping to ensure it’s sustainability for years to come.
For example, technologies that enable minimally invasive procedures can allow patients to leave hospital sooner and recover more quickly, digital solutions that allow for faster diagnoses, remote monitoring technologies that allow patients to receive care at home—are just a few of the many examples of how medical technologies can provide better patient outcomes while contributing to the sustainability needs of our health care systems.
While there’s been an increase in adoption of medical technology solutions during the height of the pandemic, Canada has traditionally been slow at adopting beneficial technologies. Now, is an opportunity to do better.
Learn more about the opportunities presented by medical technologies to address backlog and health system challenges.
Medtech Canada is the national association representing Canada’s medical technology companies. The association advocates for achieving patient access to leading edge, innovative technology solutions that provide valuable outcomes.
