SASKATOON - The Saskatoon Health Region hopes that by the end of next year, no one in its jurisdiction who needs surgery will have to wait longer than 12 months for their procedure.
It also plans to have any patient requiring surgery for invasive cancer to be on the operating table within three weeks of their diagnosis.
Maura Davies, president and CEO of the health region, announced the goals Wednesday when she delivered the organization's year-end report.
Davies says more than 34,000 surgeries were carried out during the 2010-2011 fiscal year, with a target of 36,000 procedures set for the months ahead.
She also says the health region shaved $25 million from its operating budget over the past year, partly by cutting down on sick days.
Davies promises that the belt-tightening will continue.
