FAQ / Feedback

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How does this site work?
   This website currently shows wait time information for 72 consultations, treatments and surgeries offered in health care facilities across the province. This means that you may not find your particular surgery or treatment on this site yet.
   
   As our process for collecting province-wide data improves, and with the introduction of new technology we will soon report the wait times for more and more procedures.
   
   You can access the wait time information for these 72 procedures in two different ways;
   
   

   1. Find wait time by alphabetical list... will take you to an alphabetical list of medical terms for the 72 procedures.
   2. Find wait time by category... for those who may not know the exact medical terms, this page groups procedures into one of seven logical categories:
      1. Surgery
      2. Diagnostic Tests
      3. Referral to Specialist
      4. Joints and Bones
      5. Cancer
      6. Heart And Blood Vessels
      7. Eyes and Ears
      8. Stomach And Abdomen
      9. Addiction Services
2. Why doesn't this Web site have information about my personal wait for healthcare services?
   Patient confidentiality is important. We do not release individual wait times. Your doctor is the best person to discuss with you your personal wait for tests or treatment.
   
   
3. How do I know if my wait is acceptable for my condition?
   Your doctor/nurse practitioner is the best person to discuss this with. If your symptoms change while you are waiting, you should see your doctor/nurse practitioner and get reassessed.
   
   
4. My doctor recommended a treatment for me in my community, but the wait would be shorter if I went somewhere else. Could he/she send me there? How can I get my appointment changed?
   Traveling outside your community for healthcare tests and treatments may be an option for you. Please discuss this with your doctor. There may be many reasons why your doctor booked a treatment or service in a certain facility. Your doctor will try to provide treatment for you in the most appropriate location. Some specialty services are only available in certain locations.
   
   It's important to talk to your family doctor or specialist before you consider any changes to your treatment or care.
   
   
5. Will the time I wait for health services be affected by having people from other districts accessing their health care in my community? Will they get services before me?
   Nova Scotians can receive health services anywhere across the province. This has always been the case.
   
   The length of time you may wait depends on the urgency of your care needs. While all cases are important, patients requiring more urgent care receive it sooner.
   
   
6. When will the Web site be updated with wait times for more treatments and services?
   The Web site will be expanded to include information on more treatments and services as comparable information becomes available across the province.
   
   
7. I've looked at the site regularly over the last few weeks, but the numbers haven't changed. Why?
   The wait time information on this site is collected and updated on a regular basis and represents the wait time for a particular treatment or service provided in a specific facility or district health authority. Currently, most information is updated on a quarterly basis, although some areas are updated monthly. The update schedule for each health service is provided at the bottom of the wait times page.
   
   
8. Why are some wait times for the same test/treatment so different district by district?
   Wait times can fluctuate on a day-by-day basis, and may change significantly over time.
   
   Wait times are affected by many factors. Some of those include
   
   

   • availability of specialists such as anesthetists
   • staff vacations and other leave
   • equipment down time
   • volume of requests for procedures and tests
9. How do our waits compare to waits across Canada? Are there other provinces that place wait times information on the Internet?
   Wait times are an issue across the country.
   
   Right now, there is no way to compare wait time information from province to province. This is something that the provinces are working with the federal government to achieve.
   
   British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario share wait-time information on their Web sites.
   
   

Feedback About This Website