Manitoba hospitals will begin to add surgical capacity next week in an effort to reduce the significant backlog caused due to COVID-19.
In Winnipeg 60 additional surgeries will be added each week across four hospitals beginning on Monday. In rural areas and in Northern Manitoba an increase in the number of surgeries are expected to begin over the next few weeks.
Due to postponements, waitlists have grown for some surgeries. The province says that the increased capacity will be used to help reduce those backlogs in orthopedic and retinal procedures, as well as vascular, renal, ear nose and throat and other now-urgent general surgeries.
“We must begin to carefully increase access to surgery to meet the needs of patients whose procedures can no longer be delayed,” said Lanette Siragusa, chief nursing officer, Shared Health. “This will be a slow and gradual increase while we continue to monitor COVID-19 activity and the staffing demands that remain across medicine and critical care.”
Surgeries are being scheduled for the most urgent cases first although consideration will also be given to the length of time a patient has already been waiting for a procedure.
“With COVID-related hospitalization numbers stabilizing, we are acting on the advice of our clinical experts to take this opportunity to provide access for patients whose conditions have become more urgent during the surgical slowdown caused by the pandemic,” said Health and Seniors Care Minister Heather Stefanson.
Officials say that surgical capacity will be reviewed every week.
© News4.ca 2021
