Comparing Elective approaches from around the world
Waiting lists for healthcare services are a significant issue worldwide, reflecting a crisis in global healthcare systems.
As populations age and demand for medical procedures grows, many countries are facing severe backlogs that affect millions of patients. These delays in receiving necessary medical care can lead to worsened health outcomes and increased healthcare costs. The complexity of resolving these waiting list issues is heightened by varying factors such as funding, healthcare infrastructure, staffing shortages, and policy inefficiencies across different nations.
At MBI, we work internationally to help countries understand and fix these issues. To date we have helped New Zealand, Australia and Canada’s health systems. Each country faces different challenges but our teams expertise are helping navigate the complexities they face.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, the healthcare system struggles primarily with capacity constraints and a shortage of healthcare professionals, which significantly impact waiting lists. With a limited number of hospitals equipped to handle complex surgeries and other procedures, patients often face lengthy delays. This situation is further complicated by geographical disparities that affect access to healthcare services, particularly in rural areas. The public health system, while comprehensive, is under tremendous pressure to manage these waiting times, which can compromise timely access to necessary care. Efforts to address these challenges include investing in health infrastructure and international recruitment of medical professionals.
Australia
Australia’s healthcare system faces challenges like those in New Zealand, with long waiting times for elective procedures being a notable issue. The disparity in healthcare access between urban and rural areas contributes significantly to these delays. Additionally, the public healthcare system, while well-funded, often sees resources stretched thin due to high demand. Efforts to improve the situation include enhancing healthcare funding, implementing more robust healthcare policies, and increasing the integration of private healthcare to relieve pressure on public resources. Moreover, there is a growing emphasis on using digital health technologies to streamline operations and reduce wait times.
Canada
Canada’s healthcare system is renowned for its comprehensive coverage, but it is also plagued by long waiting times, particularly for specialised services and elective surgeries.
These delays are often due to a mismatch between the availability of healthcare services and the high demand from an aging population. Issues such as funding allocations, healthcare management practices, and provincial disparities in resource distribution play a significant role. To combat these problems, Canada is looking towards increasing funding, improving healthcare management systems, and leveraging technology to enhance efficiency and patient care coordination across provinces.
In each of these countries, the issues are complex and multifaceted, requiring a combination of increased funding, policy reform, technological integration, and improved healthcare management practices to effectively address the challenges presented by extended waiting lists.
MBI are uniquely placed to help given our extensive expertise, agility and low cost model.
