Insights into how universal, tax-funded, single payer health systems manage their waiting lists: A review of the literature.

This article reviews policies implemented in universal, tax-funded, single-payer healthcare systems within OECD countries to manage and reduce waiting times for non-urgent ambulatory (outpatient) care. It identifies 15 key policies grouped into three categories: generation of supply capacity (e.g., task shifting, lean approaches), control of demand (e.g., triage, waiting list updates), and mixed interventions (e.g., telemedicine, open access). The most frequently studied strategies include guidelines implementation/clinical pathways, task shifting to allied health professionals, and telemedicine, though most evidence derives from observational studies with limited cost and clinical outcome data. The review highlights a scarcity of randomized controlled trials and national-level analyses, emphasizing the need for more comprehensive research and data transparency to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of these interventions.