Patients with emergency conditions (Priority 1) are seen immediately and are not included in wait times data. Priority levels 2, 3, and 4 are determined by surgeons, specialists, and other health care providers, based on clinical evidence, to guide treatment decisions and improve patient access and outcomes.
Wait times for cancer surgeries in Ontario are measured and reported for two periods: Wait 1 and Wait 2. Data excludes patients who did not have the surgery after their first appointment with a surgeon.
Time from referral to first clinician appointment (Wait 1): How long patients waited from a surgeon or central intake office receiving the referral from the patient's doctor, to the patients’ first appointment with the surgeon.
Time from decision to surgery (Wait 2): How long patients waited from deciding on surgery with the surgeon, to having the surgery.
Metrics reported for cancer surgery wait times, for priority levels 2, 3 and 4, and those three priority levels combined:
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The average number of days patients waited. A lower number is better.
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The median number of days patients waited (half of the patients waited fewer than this number of days and the other half waited longer). A lower number is better.
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The 90th percentile number of days patients waited (90% of patients waited this number of days or fewer, while 10% waited longer). A lower number is better.
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The percentage of cancer patients seen, or treated, within the target time for the 90th percentile (the target time within which 90% of patients were seen or treated). A higher percentage is better.
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The volume, or number of patients seen or treated, during the month reported.
| Priority level for patients’ condition | Clinical description | Target time* to patients’ first cancer surgical appointment | Target time** from decision to having cancer surgery |
| Priority 1 | Immediate – emergency surgery required | Patients see surgeon within 24 hours of referral received (not included in wait times data reported) | Patients have the surgery within 24 hours of decision (not included in wait times data reported) |
| Priority 2 | Patients diagnosed with highly aggressive malignancies | Patients see surgeon within 10 days of the referral received | Patients have the surgery within 14 days of decision |
| Priority 3 | Patients with known or suspected invasive cancer that do not meet the criteria of Priority 2 or Priority 4 | Patients see surgeon within 21 days of referral received | Patients have the surgery within 28 days of decision |
| Priority 4 | Patients diagnosed with indolent malignancies | Patients see surgeon within 35 days of the referral received | Patients have the surgery within 84 days of decision |
*The target time within which 90% of patients are seen
**The target time within which 90% of patients are treated
Data source for cancer surgery wait times:
Wait Time Information System™ (WTIS™), Ontario Health