Wait Times for Psychiatric Services

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Authors: 

• Jemy M. Joseph (University of Ottawa)
• Tea Rosic (McMaster University)
• Justin Cottrell (Western University)
• Jillian C. Belrose (Western University)

Background: 

Evidenced based benchmarks for medically acceptable wait times have helped contribute to reducing wait times for cancer treatment, diagnostic imaging procedures, and joint replacements. Unfortunately psychiatry still does not have provincial reporting standards or benchmarks.

Recommendations:

• Creation of mandatory, standardized, wait time reporting and benchmarks for psychiatric services.