wait a second...

Today I received an invitation from the Ministry of Health to apply for evaluator for the New Zealand Health Innovation Awards. This is the fifth year of the awards which aim to:

• encourage continual improvement of care and services in the health and disability sector;
• recognise those who have developed and implemented innovations that are sustainable examples for improving health outcomes, support and independence;
• celebrate success and excellence; and
• identify initiatives that are transferable and promote a sharing and learning environment.

One of the previously nominated projects that jumped into my attention is 2004 finalist:

"Paediatric Gait Assessment Clinic" Because of a high workload and the relative non-urgent nature of the condition in children with possible lower limb developmental variations known as 'paediatric gait', these children had been unlikely to be assessed for some 24 months. The project has been highly successful and has dramatically reduced the waiting times from up to two years down to four weeks while still providing effective assessment for children.

It's just incredible, I can't believe there's a two year waiting list... just to get an assessment and then to be referred for therapy... specially when we are talking about small children! Two years is an eternity... by the time they get the assessment done, it's probably too late for some of them to get the full benefit of physiotherapy and rehabilitation. I know there are two year waiting lists for adults... even for cancer tests; 6 months waiting list to do the driver's licence test, 24hr waiting list to talk to any bank manager, 3 to 4 days waiting list on car's workshops, unknown waiting time on the phone to talk to any telephone help desk like telecom, slingshot, etc. 3 days waiting list to get my computer repaired (yet again)... NZ is the country of waiting lists, just like Mexico is the country of standing in queue to go to the bank, buy tortillas, pay taxes, etc... Here, you get on the list and wait, and wait, and wait... from the comfort of your own chair.

ciao