Wait Times A Medical Liability Perspective - The Canadian ...

• Document the clinical assessment andany attempts to arrange an earlierappointment.• Monitor patients and re-prioritize queuedpatients as an ongoing responsibility.• Communicate patients’ needs to the careprovidinginstitutions, consultingphysicians and others as required.For the consulting physician:• Notify the referring physician of thescheduled appointment dates.• If, at the time of the referral, the waittime exceeds the benchmarks, consider:– Declining the new consultation andrecommending referral elsewhere, and– Notifying the appropriate institutionthat the wait times are beyond thestated performance goals and that it isnecessary to refer patients elsewhere.– Informing the patients and discussingthe potential adverse consequences ofwaiting, if any;– Discussing alternative treatmentoptions if available, and– Offering possible referral elsewhere.• Be aware of any legislation and/orinstitutional requirements with respect tothe management of wait times.• Monitor patients and re-prioritize queuedpatients as an ongoing responsibility.• Communicate patients’ needs to the careprovidinginstitutions, primary careproviders and others as required.• Document all actions taken in each of theabove circumstances.• Should the wait time begin to exceed therecommended benchmark for patientsalready assessed and on the physician’slist, consider: