The British Columbia government said it will be reducing wait times by directing certain cancer patients to the United States to have radiation treatment done. .“Healthcare in BC has always been about one key commitment: Getting patients the care they need, when they need it,” said BC Health Minister Adrian Dix in a Monday press release..“To ensure every effort is being made to get cancer patients the treatment they need, we are temporarily referring patients to clinics across the border.” .Dix said this action will “support patients while we expand cancer services and hire more cancer care staff throughout the province.” .To support BC’s cancer plan, the release said BC Cancer will be offering eligible patients radiation treatment at one of two clinics in Bellingham, WA, effective May 29. That will launch a temporary initiative outside BC which could support as many as 50 additional radiation patients each week. .BC Cancer Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kim Chi called timely radiation treatment “critical for people with cancer, both for their survival and overall quality of life.” .“Through this temporary initiative, we can take urgent action to improve outcomes, not only for those who are able to travel, but also for people with cancer receiving care at our regional centres,” said Chi. .“The initiative increases our overall capacity to deliver vital radiation therapy for every British Columbian who needs it.”.The release went on to say about 4,800 patients will benefit from the temporary program over the next two years. That would provide about 24,000 sessions of radiation treatment. .During the same time, it said BC is expected to see about 1,000 new patients requiring this treatment. By adding capacity for an estimated 4,800 more patients over the next two years, it is taking action to ensure more people receive it by the clinical benchmark. .Eligible patients will have all costs related to their treatment covered — including travel, meals, and accommodation — by BC Cancer and the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). All costs for medical services, testing, and medication related to it; prescription medications; and laboratory testing will be covered by the BC government. .A BC Cancer support team will help patients by arranging appointments, co-ordinating travel plans, and greeting them when they return to their regional centre..PHSA President and CEO David Byres concluded by saying it was grateful to BC Cancer physicians and staff for their commitment to patient care in the midst of increased loads. .“This temporary measure will support those facing cancer while we continue our efforts to recruit specialized clinical and support staff, upgrade our infrastructure, and work with our health authority partners to deliver on the priorities in BC’s 10-year cancer action plan,” said Byres. .Canadian patients waited longer than ever in 2022 for medical treatment, according to a December study conducted by the Fraser Institute. .READ MORE: Study finds Canada’s healthcare wait times hit longest ever recorded.“The results of this year’s survey indicate COVID-19 and related hospital closures have exacerbated, but are not the cause, of Canada’s historic wait times challenges,” said Fraser Institute Centre for Health Policy Studies Director and study co-author Bacchus Barua. .The study — an annual survey of doctors across Canada — said the country has a median wait time of 27.4 weeks, longer than the wait of 25.6 weeks reported in 2021. It said this wait time is 195% higher than the 9.3 weeks recorded in 1993, when the Fraser Institute began tracking.
