Bariatric surgery wait times can be long for Ontario residents. Long wait times can physical distress due to weight gain and poor mobility, reduced ability to exercise, and increased anxiety with mental distress.
⬇️ Scroll down to compare hospitals by expected wait time. Always verify the current expected wait times with your primary care physician or referred specialist.
Bariatric surgery changes the digestive system to limit the amount of food a person can eat and absorb. This can be done by making the stomach smaller, changing the small intestine, or both.
Wait 1 is defined as the time between a patient receiving a referral from a primary care physician and their specialist consultation. Wait 2 is defined as the time between the decision to proceed with surgery and the surgery itself.
Table of Contents:
- Referral to Ontario Bariatric Network
- Ontario hospitals with shortest bariatric surgery wait times
- Ontario hospitals with longest bariatric surgery wait times
- How to interpret surgery wait times
Referral to Ontario Bariatric Network
Good Caring Canada has published a comprehensive guide to help you learn more about the Ontario Bariatric Network.
The Ontario Bariatric Network is a coordinated network established to manage bariatric care across the province of Ontario, Canada. Its primary aim is to improve access to and the delivery of bariatric services, including both surgical and non-surgical weight management strategies. The network operates under the guidance of Ontario Health, which is responsible for healthcare delivery and services in the province.
Patients are typically referred to the Ontario Bariatric Network by their primary care providers, and they undergo a thorough evaluation to determine the most appropriate treatment path.
Ontario hospitals with shortest bariatric surgery wait times
Below are three hospitals in Ontario with the shortest bariatric surgery wait times:
- 🥇 Michael Garron Hospital has the shortest wait time at 14 weeks for bariatric surgery in Ontario. 89% of patients receive their surgery within the established target time
- 🥈 St. Joseph’s Health Care System Hamilton – Charlton Campus, with an average wait of 17 weeks for bariatric surgery, ranks second for the shortest wait times. 65% of patients receive treatment within the target time
- 🥉 University Health Network – Toronto Western Hospital , with an average wait of 21 weeks for bariatric surgery, ranks second for the shortest wait times. 73% of patients receive treatment within the target time
Ontario hospitals with longest bariatric surgery wait times
Below are three hospitals in Ontario with the longest bariatric surgery wait times:
- 🐌 The Ottawa Hospital – Civic Campus has the longest wait time at 34 weeks for bariatric surgery in Ontario. 36% of patients receive their surgery within the established target time
- 🐢 Guelph General Hospital, with an average wait of 29 weeks for bariatric surgery, ranks second for the longest wait times. 70% of patients receive treatment within the target time
- 🦥 Humber River Health – Wilson Site, with an average wait of 28 weeks for bariatric surgery, ranks second for the longest wait times. 80% of patients receive treatment within the target time
How to interpret wait times
Emergency cases (Priority 1) receive immediate attention and are not included in wait time data. Priority 1 patients are those who face a life-threatening situation if the surgery is not performed immediately.
Surgeons, specialists, and healthcare administrators establish priority levels 2, 3, and 4, along with target times, using clinical evidence to guide treatment decisions and enhance patient access and outcomes.
For the above chart, we only display wait times for Priority 4 because data for priority levels 2 and 3 is generally incomplete.
For surgery wait times, two wait periods are assessed:
- Time to the patient’s first surgical or specialist appointment: This measures the duration from the moment a surgeon, specialist, or central intake office receives the referral from the patient’s family doctor to the patient’s initial surgical or specialist appointment.
- Time from the decision for the surgery or procedure to its actual completion: This tracks the time from when the patient and surgeon jointly decide to proceed with the surgery to the surgery’s actual execution.
Data also excludes patients who did not proceed with the surgery or procedure after their initial consultation with a specialist.
Learn wait times for other medical procedures in Ontario: