Specialist wait lists for B.C. patients grow to 1.2 million people: doctors groups

More than one million patients in B.C. are estimated to be on a wait list to see a medical specialist.

Two doctors groups in British Columbia say there is a “wait-list crisis” for specialists that is severely compromising the health and well-being of residents.

Doctors of BC and the Consultant Specialists of BC say they surveyed nearly 1,000 specialists and found that about 1.2 million patients are waiting too long to see a health expert in areas such as cardiology, neurology, orthopedic surgery, and urology.

The groups say in a statement that 63 per cent of the survey respondents say their wait-lists have grown longer in the last two years, placing additional strain on practitioners and their patients.

They have outlined five solutions, including modernizing the wait-list management system, expanding team-based specialist care, investing in training and recruitment, enhancing rural outreach and bringing in flexible payment models.

Health Minister Josie Osborne says in a statement that while the COVID-19 surgery backlog has been eliminated, there is more work to do to improve surgery waits, and she knows how frustrating it can be for patients to wait on a list for months.

Dr. Robert Carruthers, president of Consultant Specialists of BC, says the ministry had indicated that previous funding to help bring down wait lists was no longer available, while a statement from the ministry says it has a funding proposal from the groups and it has asked for more information.

Osborne says she met with the president of Doctors of BC earlier this week and looks forward to working with them on tackling wait times for patients.

In 2023 and 2024, the government delivered more surgeries for patients in a single year than ever before, she says.

But with B.C.‘s growing population, officials know they need to redouble their efforts, Osborne says.

“That’s why we are taking action to hire and recruit more doctors to our province than ever before, streamline how wait-lists are managed by Health Authorities, and keep operating rooms open longer.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2025.