Priority levels and target times are determined by surgeons, specialists, and other health care providers, based on clinical evidence, to guide treatment decisions and improve patient access and outcomes. Pediatric patients (younger than 18) with emergency conditions (Priority 1) are seen immediately and are not included in wait times data.
Metrics reported for pediatric patients' 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 pediatric patients waited. A lower number is better.
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The median number of days pediatric 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 pediatric 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 pediatric patients who were 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 pediatric patients seen or treated during the month reported.
Pediatric wait times for surgeries in Ontario are measured for two wait periods: time from referral to first clinician appointment (Wait 1) and time from decision to surgery (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 pediatric patients waited from a surgeon or central intake office receiving the referral from the patients’ family doctor, to the patients’ first surgical appointment.
| Priority level of pediatric patients’ condition | Clinical description | Target time* from referral to first clinician 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. | Patients see 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 delays in treatment will adversely affect physical, emotional, or psychosocial development. | Patients see 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 | Patients see surgeon within 182 days of referral received |
Time from decision to surgery (Wait 2): How long pediatric patients waited from the patients’ family and surgeon deciding to proceed with the surgery, to the patients having the surgery. Target times for this wait period differ depending on the type of surgery the pediatric patients are having.
| Priority level of pediatric patients’ 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 patients have surgery within 24 hours | Pediatric patients have surgery within 24 hours | Pediatric patients have surgery within 24 hours |
| Priority 2 | Pediatric patients have surgery within 7 - 28 days | Pediatric patients have surgery within 21 days | Pediatric patients have surgery within 21 days |
| Priority 3 | Pediatric patients have surgery within 42 - 70 days | Pediatric patients have surgery within 84 days | Pediatric patients have surgery within 84 days |
| Priority 4 | Pediatric patients have surgery within 182 days | Pediatric patients have surgery within 182 days | Pediatric patients have surgery within 182 days |
*The target time within which 90% of patients are seen
**The target time within which 90% of patients are treated
Data source for pediatric wait times for surgeries:
Wait Time Information System™ (WTIS™), Ontario Health