Average-time-DI - Health Quality Ontario (HQO)

INDICATOR NAME

Name

Average time patients waited for diagnostic imaging scans

Alternate Name

Average wait time to completed MRI or CT scans

INDICATOR DESCRIPTION

Description

This time represents the average wait time, in days, from when the diagnostic imaging scan was ordered to having the scan completed. The average time represents the typical time patients can expect to wait for the scan to be completed. The average wait time is reported by the priority level with the most patients. Patients are assigned a priority level for their scan by the physician based on clinical evidence. In this case, the lower the number of days, the better.

HQO Reporting tool/product

Public reporting

Dimension

Timely

Type

Process

DEFINITION AND SOURCE INFORMATION

Unit of Measurement

Days

Calculation Methods

Average wait time is calculated by dividing the total wait days for all patients by the total count of cases.

All closed wait list entries with scan dates within the reporting period.
For adult scans, patients that are 18 years and older on the day the scan was completed.
For paediatric scans, patients that are younger than 18 years on the day the scan was completed.
Patients assigned as Priority Level 2 - 4 for scan.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Scans no longer required

2. Patients assigned as Priority Level 1 for scan

3. Wait list entries identified by hospitals as data entry errors.

4. Scans classified as specified date procedures (SDP) or timed scans.

Numerator (short description i.e. not inclusions/exclusions)

Denominator (short description i.e. not inclusions/exclusions)

Adjustment (risk, age/sex standardization)- generalized

None

Data Source

Wait Time Information System (WTIS)

Data provided to HQO by

Cancer Care Ontario (CCO)

Reported Levels of comparability /stratifications (defined)

Corporation, Priority level, Province, Time

OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION

Caveats and Limitations

1. This wait time is collected for patients who have their diagnostic imaging scan. That is, patients who are still waiting are not included in the calculation. 2. Hospitals with small volumes will be more severely impacted by extreme waits (particularly the average wait time). For example, an unusually long or short wait time for a single patient in a reporting period for hospitals that do not scan a lot of patients will have a greater impact on the average. 3. Since Wait Time data is reported at the hospital corporation or facility level, facilities with multiple sites will be reported together even though data is collected at each site. 4. There are other factors that affect wait times for a diagnostic exam that do not relate to a hospital’s efficiency or the availability of resources, e.g. patient choice.