Province catches up on missed surgeries

Jan 6, 2021 | 12:37 PM

The B.C. government said surgeries have been completed for 90 per cent of patients who had their procedures delayed when the first wave of COVID-19 hit in March.

Health Minister Adrian Dix made the announcement Wednesday morning as he released details about B.C.’s commitment to reducing surgical backlogs.

A statement from the ministry says between May 18 and Nov. 12, 163,696 patients received their surgery.

The remaining 10 per cent of people who have not had their surgeries yet are expected to get them done in the next two to three months.

Dix said B.C. has also fulfilled a pledge to recruit more staff — hiring 33 surgeons, 32 anesthesiologists, hundreds of specialized nurses and licensed practical nurses and nearly 200 technicians trained to reprocess medical devices.

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The province said surgical wait times are now below what they were when the pandemic hit.

“We launched B.C.’s commitment to surgical renewal in May. Since then, learning and adaptation have occurred each step of the way. These are significant achievements and our work will continue to build on this progress in the winter-to-spring period,” Dix said.

(With files from The Canadian Press)
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Information from Health Ministry news release

* On Nov. 22, 2020, all health authorities completed their calls to 111,584 patients who were on waitlists before May 7, to ask them if they were ready to reschedule their surgery.

* Between May 18 and Nov. 12, 163,696 patients received their surgery, including 90 per cent of the patients who had a surgery postponed in the first wave of COVID-19.

* An additional 7,979 hours of operating room time was added, compared to the same timeframe last year.

* With a focus on urgent and long-waiting surgeries, 996 more urgent scheduled surgeries and 6,299 more surgeries for patients waiting longer than two times their target wait were performed.

* Through efforts in calling patients and performing more surgeries, waitlists have been reduced.

* The total waitlist has been reduced by 6 per cent since March 31, 2020, 12 per cent since it peaked on May 28 at 100,297.

* The urgent waitlist has been reduced by 9 per cent since March 31, 2020, 11 per cent since the peak.

* The non-urgent waitlist has been reduced by 5 per cent since March 31, 2020, 12 per cent since the peak.

Since April 1, the following have been hired:

* 33 surgeons;

* 32 anesthesiologists;

* three general-practice anesthetists;

* 305 perioperative registered nurses;

* 38 perioperative licensed practical nurses;

* 171 post-anesthetic recovery registered nurses; and

* 173 medical device reprocessing technicians.