For decades, female-dominated medical specialties have not received the attention and funding they deserve, and gynecology is one of the most under-served surgical fields in Canada’s health-care system.

But pressure for change is mounting. In new analysis published in Healthcare Policy, University of Calgary researchers Amity Quinn, PhD and Dr. Erin Brennand, two of the authors of this story, set out five actions that would improve gynecologic care and reduce inequities, with significant gains in both workforce and cost efficiencies.

Some of the most commonly required gynecologic surgeries are hysterectomy, pelvic floor repair, oophorectomy (removal of ovaries), dilation and curettage (removal of tissue from the uterus) and endometrial ablation (a procedure to reduce heavy bleeding).

Timely treatment is important for improving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, the current wait time from referral to gynecologic surgery for most Canadian women is around nine and a half months and it can be much longer, depending on the province and type of surgery.

Innovative thinking and prioritizing gynecologic surgery are essential to achieve a high-performing, equitable health system, and based on Quinn and Brennand’s research, we argue that Canada can significantly improve women’s health, in both the short- and long-term, by focusing on five attainable and affordable immediate actions:

1. Formally recognize gynecology as a core surgical discipline

Gynecologic surgery needs to be its own, distinct specialty in health care, with separate provincial planning, funding and surgical spaces. To ensure the needs of this specialty are properly understood, and not neglected, gynecologic surgeons must be involved in decisions around operating room allocation, investment in technology and innovation, and recruitment.

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