Long waiting times for different types of healthcare have been a longstanding issue in a number of OECD countries. Postponing the expected benefits of treatment means that patients continue living with pain and disability for longer than they need to, and may worsen health outcomes for patients after the intervention.
Figure 5.11 and Figure 5.12 focus on two high-volume elective (non-emergency) surgical procedures: cataract and hip replacement surgery. For cataract surgery, in 2024 the share of patients waiting more than three months (Figure 5.11, left panel) ranged from less than 20% in Poland and Hungary, to over 70% in Finland and Norway (although waiting times in Norway are overestimated compared to other countries for this and other surgical procedures – see the “Definition and comparability” box). In terms of median number of days (Figure 5.11, right panel), this ranged from around 50 days or less in Spain, Poland, Hungary and Sweden, to 280 days in Slovenia.
Prior to the pandemic, most countries saw improvements in waiting times. Following large increases during the pandemic, waiting times have returned or started to return to pre‑pandemic levels in most countries. However, in New Zealand and Slovenia, waiting times have continued to increase on both metrics since the pandemic. In recent years, Poland has seen considerable reductions in waiting times. These improvements were driven by increased funding through the National Health Fund for cataract, hip and knee replacement surgery since 2019.
For hip replacement surgery, the shares of patients waiting more than three months are broadly similar to those for cataract surgery, but median times are typically much longer (Figure 5.12). In 2024, median waiting times ranged from 67 days in Sweden and Spain, to over half a year in Hungary (209 days), Chile (313 days), Poland (343 days), and almost two years in Slovenia (667 days). Furthermore, waiting times have remained above pre‑pandemic levels in more countries, with large increases observed in Slovenia. Poland is again an exception, with large reductions in waiting times compared to 2019. Knee replacement surgery figures (not shown) show similar trends to hip replacements, though waiting times on both measures are typically higher.
Across different types of elective surgery, research has shown that the volume of patients treated will often have to be substantially higher than recent levels to return fully to pre‑pandemic levels, especially in light of growing demand due to population ageing (Siciliani and Lafortune, forthcoming[1]).
Commonwealth Fund Survey data provide complementary data on waiting times to see primary care providers (GPs or nurses) and specialists. Some OECD countries have maximum waiting time targets for primary care – typically between 24 hours and 7 days – alongside prioritisation of patients with severe conditions (OECD, 2020[2]). Yet on average across ten surveyed countries, almost one in five people (18%) reported waiting more than a week to see a GP or a nurse, and over half (57%) waited two days or longer, with waiting times longest in Canada, New Zealand and France (Figure 5.13, left panel). For specialists, on average just over half of respondents (52%) had to wait one month or longer for an appointment. In Canada and the United Kingdom, more than 10% reported having to wait for more than a year (Figure 5.13, right panel).
