Saskatchewan is unveiling a bold strategy in healthcare moving forward. The ‘Patients First Health Care Plan’ aims to provide more people with access to a primary care provider, and more timely surgeries and diagnostics, the provincial government said in a news release Monday. The comprehensive plan aims to reduce many surgeries to a three-month waiting period by 2028, with diagnostics taking 60 days or less. “We have been listening to Saskatchewan residents, and the two main concerns we have heard are that people want access to a primary care provider, and they want diagnostics and surgeries in a timelier manner,” Moe said. “That’s what the Patients First Health Care Plan will do – deliver the right care in the right place at the right time.” The government adds the plan will reimagine the scope of some professions, with an emphasis on nurse practitioners being able to do more. That includes hiring healthcare staff on their own, and working in more places, such as emergency rooms, urgent care centres and long-term care. Premier Scott Moe says virtual care will see big expansions to get residents the care they need, when and where they need it. “The Patients First Health Care Plan builds on steps we are already taking to improve access to health care, like the introduction of virtual care, the creation of urgent care centres, and the expansion of nurse practitioner services,” Moe said. Moe declined to offer specifics on how much this plan will cost, with many initiatives underway in some form. More details on the plan are expected to be announced when the provincial budget is revealed next week.
