Montreal Children’s Hospital Eliminates Surgical Waitlists for Kids

The Montreal Children’s Hospital has achieved a significant milestone by eliminating waitlists for young patients needing surgery. As of October 31, 2025, no children were waiting more than nine months for surgical procedures, following a comprehensive reorganization of resources. This accomplishment marks a major change in the hospital’s approach to surgical care, aimed at addressing a longstanding issue in the Quebec health-care system.

The hospital’s effort to reduce wait times began with the elimination of its 12-month waitlist earlier in the summer. “It’s a moral issue to make children wait more than a year for surgical care,” stated Dr. Sam Daniel, Chief of Surgery at the hospital. He emphasized that the initiative was a collective effort rooted in a vision to improve access to essential surgical services for children.

The waitlists in question pertain to patients deemed “available” for surgery, which excludes those needing pre-operative treatment or awaiting time off work. A multidisciplinary committee was created to analyze the situation and develop strategies to streamline the surgical schedule. Central to this achievement was the work of data analysts who employed mathematical models to optimize surgery schedules based on patient needs.

Sonia Guilbeault, acting head nurse of the operating rooms at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, explained the analytical approach: “The analysis gave us a calculation of the number of rooms each (surgical) division needed based on its waiting list.” This required adjustments in the surgical schedule to allocate more time to departments with higher demand while reducing time for those with less.

In addition to internal adjustments, a partnership was established with the AGM Anesthesia Clinic, which handled simpler surgeries that did not require hospitalization. While mathematical modeling was crucial, Dr. Daniel pointed out that successful implementation involved preparing children adequately for surgery, ensuring necessary equipment was available, and allowing surgeons to utilize their newly freed time effectively.

“We had to establish safety guidelines,” he noted, highlighting the need for careful protocol reviews as the hospital adapted to new methods. The initiative also addressed “blind spots,” such as non-urgent cases of patients who had been waiting for a year or longer, raising the question of urgency from various perspectives.

The commitment of the hospital staff played a vital role in the success of this initiative. “Everyone got on board because everyone thought it was important,” said Sonia Guilbeault. As waiting lists diminished, the teams involved became more engaged, working collaboratively to meet their goals.

Dr. Daniel concluded, “We have a system that is good and caring. We just need to nurture it with kindness so that it continues to function.” This achievement reflects a significant advancement in pediatric surgical care in Quebec, demonstrating the potential for systemic change in addressing healthcare challenges.

This report was originally published in French on November 6, 2025, by The Canadian Press.