Measuring Pediatric Wait Times for Surgeries

Priority levels and target times for surgeries for pediatric patients (younger than 18) in Ontario are set by surgeons, specialists and health care administrators across the province, based on clinical evidence, to guide treatment decisions and improve patient access and outcomes.

Pediatric wait times for surgeries in Ontario are measured in two wait periods. (Data excludes patients who did not have the surgery after their first appointment with a surgeon.)

Time to pediatric patient's first surgical appointment: How long pediatric patients waited from a surgeon or central intake office receiving the referral from the patient's family doctor, to the patient's first surgical appointment.

Priority level of pediatric patient's condition	Clinical description	Target time* to patient’s first surgical appointment
Priority 1	Surgery is required immediately	Not included in wait times data
Priority 2	Recurring unscheduled health care visits by the patient (such as to the emergency department or family doctor). Treatment window of time is highly sensitive due to the high probability that delay in treatment will adversely affect physical, emotional, or psychosocial development.	Patient sees surgeon within 30 days of referral received
Priority 3	Occasional unscheduled health care visits by the patient (such as to the emergency department or family). Moderate probability that delay in treatment will adversely affect physical, emotional, or psychosocial development.	Patient sees surgeon within 90 days of referral received
Priority 4	Low risk of adversely affecting physical, emotional, or social development associated with a delay in treatment	Patient sees surgeon within 182 days of referral received

Time from surgery decision to pediatric patient having surgery: How long pediatric patients waited from the patient's family and surgeon deciding to proceed with the surgery, to the patient having the surgery.

Target times for this wait period differs depending on the type of surgery the pediatric patient is having (see table below):

Priority level of pediatric patient's condition	Target time** from decision to having pediatric otolaryngic surgery including tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, and myringotomy tube surgery	Target time** from decision to having pediatric oral and maxillofacial surgery and dentistry	Target time** from decision to having pediatric ophthalmology (eye) surgery including strabismus
Priority 1	Pediatric patient has surgery within 24 hours	Pediatric patient has surgery within 24 hours	Pediatric patient has surgery within 24 hours
Priority 2	Pediatric patient has surgery within 7 - 28 days	Pediatric patient has surgery within 21 days	Pediatric patient has surgery within 21 days
Priority 3	Pediatric patient has surgery within 42 - 70 days	Pediatric patient has surgery within 84 days	Pediatric patient has surgery within 84 days
Priority 4	Pediatric patient has surgery within 182 days	Pediatric patient has surgery within 182 days	Pediatric patient has surgery within 182 days

*The target time within which 9 out of 10 patients are seen.

**The target time within which 9 out of 10 patients are treated.

See what this means for patients

Measurement Numbers Used for Pediatric Wait Times

Data for pediatric patients' wait times is reported using these measurement numbers:

The average number of days pediatric patients waited; a lower number is better.
The percentage of pediatric patients who were seen, or treated, within the target time; a higher percentage is better.