Determinants of patient and surgeon perspectives on maximum acceptable waiting times for hip and knee arthroplasty.

Objectives: Lengthy waiting times for hip and knee arthroplasty have raised concerns about equitable and timely access to care. The Western Canada Waiting List project has developed priority criteria scores linked to maximum acceptable waiting times (MAWT) for different levels of priority. Our study purpose was to assess the determinants of patient- and surgeon-rated MAWT, and to test whether the anticipated waiting time has an independent influence after adjusting for age, sex and patient urgency.

Prioritization of patients on waiting lists for hip and knee replacement: validation of a priority criteria tool.

Objectives: This study tested the reliability and validity of the Western Canada Waiting List Project priority criteria score (PCS) for prioritizing patients waiting for hip and knee arthroplasty.

Methods: Sixteen orthopedic surgeons assessed 233 consecutive patients at consultation for hip or knee arthroplasty. Measures included the PCS, a visual analogue scale of urgency (VAS urgency), and maximum acceptable waiting time (MAWT).

Prioritization of patients on scheduled waiting lists: validation of a scoring system for hip and knee arthroplasty.

Introduction: The hip and knee replacement priority criteria tool (HKPT) is 1 of 5 tools developed by the Western Canada Waiting List Project for setting priorities among patients awaiting elective procedures. We set out to assess the validity of the HKPT priority criteria score (PCS) and map the maximum acceptable waiting times (MAWTs) for patients to levels of urgency.

Methods: Two studies were used to assess convergent and discriminant validity.

Developing priority criteria for hip and knee replacement: results from the Western Canada Waiting List Project.

Introduction: The Western Canada Waiting List Project (WCWL), a federally funded partnership of 19 organizations, was created to develop tools for managing waiting lists. The WCWL panel on hip and knee replacement surgery was 1 of 5 panels constituted under this project.

Methods: The panel developed and tested a collection of standardized clinical criteria for setting priorities among patients awaiting hip and knee replacement.