title: Improving the management of waiting lists for elective healthcare services: public perspectives on proposed solutions.
abstract: An innovative approach to managing waiting lists and access to elective care, and one that is more fair and consistent with the 'guarantee of access' as stipulated in the Canada Health Act, has been developed by a partnership of medical associations, provincial ministries of health, regional health authorities and research centres. Operating as the Western Canada Waiting List Project, this group has developed beta versions of waiting list prioritization tools in five problematic clinical areas: hip and knee joint replacement; cataract removal surgery; general surgery; children's mental health services; and MRI scanning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McGurran
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Noseworthy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006292:Health Priorities; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018579:Patient Selection; D017749:Total Quality Management; D014850:Waiting Lists