Bariatric Surgery Wait Times in Canada
Canada faces significant challenges with long wait times for bariatric surgery, leaving many patients seeking alternative options. The long wait times for bariatric surgery are due to several factors like limited resources, high demand for procedures, and shortages for bariatric surgeons.
Average wait times for bariatric surgery in Canada will range from 1.5 years to almost 9 years.
Current Wait Times by Province
| Province | Procedures covered by health insurance | Estimated Time to Surgery |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | Gastric Sleeve Surgery Gastric Bypass Surgery |
7 to 10 years |
| British Columbia | Gastric Sleeve Gastric Bypass |
2 to 4 years |
| Manitoba | Gastric Sleeve Gastric Bypass |
No Options |
| New Brunswick | Gastric Sleeve Gastric Bypass Gastric Band (all types covered, but not all are performed in the province) |
3 to 5 years |
| Newfoundland and Labrador (no surgeons listed) | Gastric Sleeve Gastric Bypass Gastric Band |
No data |
| Nova Scotia | Gastric Sleeve | 3 to 5 years |
| Ontario | Gastric Sleeve Gastric Bypass |
Initial appointment: 6 months to 1 year Surgery: 2 to 3 years |
| Prince Edward Island (no surgeons listed) | Gastric Sleeve Gastric Bypass (covered, but performed out of province) |
No data |
| Quebec | Gastric Sleeve Gastric Bypass Gastric Band |
3 to 15 years |
| Saskatchewan | Gastric Sleeve Gastric Bypass |
2 to 3 years |
*Please note that this information represents the best available information we have. This information assumes the patient is starting their journey today and considers how long it will take to meet all the requirements before having surgery.
For example: Patient needs to wait 85 days to consult with a bariatric provider. After completing the bariatric program (which can take years), they can schedule their surgery and wait for the available surgical times.
Why is it So Difficult to have the Surgery in Canada?
It is quite challenging to access bariatric surgery in Canada. The public healthcare system in Canada prioritizes cases based on urgency. This often results in extended wait times for non-emergency procedures like bariatric surgery. The lack of availability of operating rooms and postoperative care facilities can further delay the process.
With so many patients needing the surgery and so few resources, this creates a backlog of patients waiting for the operation. It is estimated that it can take an average of 18 months for patients to get a bariatric surgery done and in some cases, it takes eight years. Research from three of the most significant bariatric surgery centers in Quebec showed a bottle-neck approach when dealing with patients requiring bariatric surgeries.
As patients received their surgeries and left the waiting list, others were moved up on the list according to a six stages process, creating a bottle-neck to obtain the surgery. The procedure process consists of:
- Office consultation request
- Bariatric questionnaire and surgery information kit sent to patients
- Information received, and patients screened, waiting to see a bariatric surgeon
- Case is classified as urgent or non-urgent based on criteria, dictating the remaining wait time
- Patients evaluated by surgeon and surgery approved
- Surgery performed
What is Wait Time?
When considering waiting times for any form of surgery, it is essential to specify what exactly is waiting time. When exactly does a patient enter the queue and at what part of the queue is the agreed-upon waiting time? According to definitions of waiting times, the waiting time for surgery starts when a request for admission is submitted by the surgeon’s office to the office that accepts admissions in the hospital. This definition, however, does not bode well when defining waiting time for bariatric surgeries. This is best defined as the time it takes to complete steps 1-5 outlined above.
The saddest part of all this is that some patients die while waiting to undergo bariatric surgery. Assuming that 2-4% of the Canadian adult population is morbidly obese, an estimate of those requiring bariatric surgery is about 600 thousand to 1.2 million.
Only about 150-250 bariatric operations a year were conducted in the most important hospitals in Canada. If resources are not allocated to combat the obesity issue in Canada, this situation is likely to worsen as obesity rates continue to rise. Furthermore, the longer patients are left untreated, the more likely their chance to develop even more complications and related conditions.
Studies demonstrate just how long the waiting period for Bariatric surgeries in Canada is, averaging at five years.
When this is compared to the Fraser Institute and the Wait Times Alliance, reasonable surgery wait times are 18 months for cosmetic surgery and eight weeks for cancer surgery.
The inappropriate wait time system for bariatric surgery in Canada stems from a lack of capacity in Canadian health centers and hospitals.
We Need Something to Change
With all the problems a prolonged waiting time for bariatric surgeries comes with, it is safe to say that something needs to change. For those that are currently morbidly obese, there is no harm in trying out other avenues for weight loss as a solution is sought. Healthy eating and regular physical activity can go a long way in managing and even preventing these conditions in the long term.
Why are so Many Canadians Undergoing Surgery in Mexico?
This situation often leads patients to seek alternatives abroad where wait times are shorter. Renew Bariatrics is a leading option to undergo bariatric surgery in Mexico. With stellar reviews and all-inclusive pricing, Canadians can quickly and affordably get bariatric surgery without compromise. They have helped over 1,000 Canadians with their weight loss surgery services at their offices in Mexico.
Renew Bariatrics’ Services for Weight Loss Surgery in Mexico:
Find out more by contacting us today.
