Ensuring a consistent approach to prioritizing patients is important to support timely, appropriate and equitable access to surgical services.
In Nova Scotia, procedures added to scheduled procedure waitlists must include a priority level, excluding cases such as transplants and c-sections.
In Nova Scotia, priority levels should be assigned based on one of the following:
- Nova Scotia Coding Access Targets for Surgery (NSCATS) -- where applicable.
- Speciality-specific Guides (Recommended Priority Levels / Maximum Wait Times) -- for procedures not included in NSCATS.
- Paediatric Canadian Access Targets for Surgery (PCATS) -- for IWK Health pediatric cases only.
A physician may, at any time, update the prioritization level assigned to a patient based on a change in clinical condition. This is strongly encouraged to maintain an accurate priority-based wait list.
Additional information and resources can be found below.
Nova Scotia Coding Access Targets for Surgery (NSCATS)
NSCATS identify the maximum acceptable surgical wait times for various procedures to help prioritize care and support appropriate and timely bookings.
Nova Scotia Health has worked to develop and implement these standardized prioritization codes, based on clinical modifiers (e.g. procedures / diagnosis), for high-volume procedures in some surgical sub-specialties.
Where an NSCATS code does not exist for a specific specialty or procedure, Nova Scotia Health surgeons should refer to the recommended priority levels guides found below.
About NSCATS
- Similar to the Paediatric Canadian Access Targets for Surgery (PCATS) used by IWK Health and Alberta's Coding Access Targets for Surgery (ACATS).
- For Eastern, Western and Northern Zones -- applicable NSCATS codes can be found in the Operating Room Management (ORM) System.
- For Central Zone - applicable codes can be found in the Novari system. The ability to add codes for other sub-specialties is being explored.
NSCATS booking codes and instructions:
- Eastern, Western and Northern Zones
- Central Zone
Specialty Specific Priority Levels
The following specialty specific guides provide information on the recommended priority levels to be assigned based on a patient's condition and diagnosis.
NOTE: These guides should not be used when an NSCATS code exists for a specific specialty or procedure in your zone.
- Cardiac
- Dental
- General Surgery - NSCATS available for some procedures
- Neurosurgery
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Oral and Maxillofacial
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopedics
- Otolaryngology - NSCATS available for some procedures outside Central zone
- Plastics
- Spinal
- Thoracics
- Urology - NSCATS code available for some procedures outside Central zone
- Vascular
