title: Measuring and reducing waiting times: a cross-national comparison of strategies.
abstract: We compare strategies to manage surgical waiting times in Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, and Wales to give policy insights into those that are most effective. Most of these countries have allocated dedicated funding and set explicit waiting time targets. Of the five countries, England has achieved the most sustained improvement, linked to major funding boosts, ambitious waiting-time targets, and a rigorous performance management system. While supply-side strategies are used in all five countries, New Zealand and parts of Canada have also invested in demand-side strategies through the use of clinical criteria to prioritize access to surgery.
authors.affiliation: Health Policy Solutions, Middle Park, Victoria, Australia. sharon@healthpolicysolutions.com.au
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Willcox
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seddon
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: Rhiannon Tudor
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pearse
authors.forename: Jack V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Tu
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002170:Canada; D004739:England; D006292:Health Priorities; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006739:Hospital Administration; D006801:Humans; D008330:Management Audit; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D009520:New Zealand; D013222:State Medicine / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019472:Universal Health Insurance; D014850:Waiting Lists; D014852:Wales