With the suspension of elective surgeries, and changes in healthcare seeking behaviour in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a surgical backlog has emerged. Fortunately, states and territories have determined that processing the surgical backlog is a priority.

This renewed attention to surgical waitlists affords us an opportunity to stop and think and address the multiple long standing challenges in current waitlist management. To take advantage of this opportunity, researchers at the NHMRC Partnership Centre for Health System Sustainability and the Australian Institute of Health Innovation (AIHI) have completed a rapid review of the global literature on strategies for managing surgical waitlists. In this literature review, we have synthesised the best available evidence for managing the impending surgical backlog and preventing future increases in surgical waitlists.

For ease of reference, the information is presented under three priority areas:

1. streamlining processes and patient journeys to address the surgical waitlist backlog
2. improving waitlist management and prioritisation strategies
3. reducing low-value care.

We anticipate that this report will be a valuable resource when reviewing current surgical waitlist management practices.

In the same way that flattening the curve during the COVID-19 pandemic gave us time to increase ICU capacity, this point in the course of the pandemic affords us with an opportunity to review and implement strategies to address and minimise the expected surge in demand when post-COVID-19 care resumes. It also gives us the opportunity to strengthen our systems capacity against future pandemics and challenges.

The NHMRC Partnership Centre for Health System Sustainability managed by AIHI, is a collaborative of 17 lead investigators, 20 expert advisors and over 40 system implementation partners from around the country who are tackling interventions that will significantly improve the sustainability of Australia’s health system.

Contact Chrissy Clay for more information.