Cardiac Waiting List Deaths Increase in Ontario

REGINA, SK: A new report released today by SecondSteet.org shows 115 Ontario patients died while waiting for cardiac surgery in 2023/24. This is an increase over last year’s numbers (101) and also shows that 41 patients (36%) died while waiting longer than the recommended wait time. The report forecasts this total to rise over the next three years if systemic changes aren’t made.

“The data suggests that some Ontario patients are likely dying because the government simply took too long to provide cardiac surgery,” said Harrison Fleming, Legislative and Policy Director for SecondStreet.org. “We’ve told the stories of patients like Judy Anderson’s daughter’s – both of whom were scheduled for surgery after they tragically passed away. This data should be a big red flag for both patients and the government. The status quo simply isn’t good enough.”

Utilizing Freedom of Information requests going back ten years to 2013/14, SecondStreet.org found 1,046 patients have died while waiting for cardiac surgery. Of these, 285 (27%) died after waiting longer than the recommended time frame.

 Highlights from the report include:

• 115 people died while waiting for cardiac surgery in 2023-24 – up from 101 the year before. Of these cases, 41 patients (36%) waited longer than the maximum recommended wait time.
• Since 2013, 1,046 patients have died while waiting for cardiac surgery. Of these, 285 (27%) died after waiting longer than the recommended time frame.
• The annual number of patients dying while waiting for cardiac care in Ontario is expected to increase over the next three years, rising to 164 per year by 2026-27 if nothing is done to reduce wait times.
• The number of patients dying after waiting longer than the maximum recommended wait time for cardiac treatment in Ontario is also expected to continue to increase.

“Doing nothing shouldn’t be an option,” said Colin Craig, President at SecondStreet.org. “Patients’ lives are at stake. When we see solutions working in other countries to reduce wait times and get patients care faster, there is no reason we shouldn’t be trying those solutions here.”

To read the full report, click here.