Ontario to Fund 60,000 Endoscopies via Private Clinics

The Ontario government is aiming to reduce wait times for gastrointestinal endoscopies by funding 60,000 procedures at private community clinics. A 10-week window to submit licence applications has been announced by the province with approvals scheduled for issue in early 2025. The expansion of services is expected to reduce wait times for gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy procedures across the province from the time the order or requisition is submitted until the patients undergo their procedures, Health Minister Sylvia Jones said in an Aug. 26 press release. “When it comes to wait times for surgeries and procedures, the status quo is not acceptable,” Jones said. “Increasing access to GI endoscopy procedures will help improve rapid access to diagnostic care for early disease detection when and where people need it.”...