Home / Health / P.E.I. Hip & Knee Surgery Waits Lag Nationally
P.E.I. Hip & Knee Surgery Waits Lag Nationally
13 Jul
Summary
- P.E.I. patients experience the longest hip and knee replacement wait times in Canada.
- Only 30% of P.E.I. hip replacements and 12% of knee replacements meet the six-month target.
- Health P.E.I. aims to reduce backlogs with increased surgeries and a central waitlist.
Patients on Prince Edward Island are experiencing the most prolonged delays for hip and knee replacement surgeries in Canada. Despite recovery in wait times across the country, P.E.I. patients continue to face significant backlogs.
Last year, only 30 percent of P.E.I. patients received hip replacements within the recommended six-month timeframe, compared to the national average of 69 percent. The disparity is even greater for knee replacements, with just 12 percent of P.E.I. patients meeting the six-month benchmark, while the national average stands at 63 percent.
Health P.E.I. has reported an increase in the volume of these surgeries, with knee procedures rising by 22 percent and hip surgeries by eight percent between April 2025 and March 2026. The health authority plans to tackle the backlog by performing more operations and establishing a central waitlist to streamline patient care and improve timely access to necessary surgeries. Clearing the existing backlog is expected to take time, even with increased surgical output.
