New dashboard tracks Manitoba's pandemic backlogs and surgical wait times

A new dashboard tracking Manitoba's surgical and diagnostic backlogs has been released by the provincial taskforce.

David Matear, the executive director of the provincial Diagnostic and Surgical Recovery Task Force, introduced the new dashboard Thursday afternoon. You can view the dashboard online here.

It tracks the pandemic backlog and median wait times for nine surgeries including cataract and cardiac surgeries, diagnostic imaging for bone density, CT scans, MRIs, myocardial perfusion and ultrasounds, and orthopedic hip and knee surgeries and replacements.

Matear said the taskforce aims to update it every month.

"This is the first phase of the dashboard, with additions and improvements to come as more data becomes available," Matear said, adding the taskforce is tracking 30 total procedures and expects to be releasing more in the future.

"Together these data points depict the current situation in Manitoba and the work that we're doing to address backlogs as well as areas that we still need to work on."

He said the pandemic backlog is calculated by taking the difference between the average monthly waiting list pre-pandemic to the average monthly waiting list post-pandemic.

Matear said there are 'good news stories' in many categories – pointing to procedures such as cataracts and orthopedic hip and knee replacement surgeries which saw the pandemic backlogs drop.

NDP CALLS ON PROVINCE TO MAKE BACKLOG A PRIORITY

Uzoma Asagwara, the NDP's health critic, said it is critical the province make addressing the backlog its biggest priority.

"One year into Premier Stefanson's time in office, things are getting worse and we're still three years away from Manitobans getting the surgeries they need," Asagwara said. "Respecting, retaining and hiring front line staff is the missing piece of the government's surgery plan."

As for when the pandemic backlog will be cleared, Matear would not provide a specific deadline, saying, "Before this taskforce stands down, the backlog will be eliminated."

He said the taskforce mandate ends within two to three years.