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By Veronica Beltran

surgeries continue

Surgery renewal well underway in Northern Health, 1,083 surgeries performed

Jun 18, 2020 | 10:53 AM

PRINCE GEORGE–The surgery renewal process is well underway in Northern Health.

B.C. Minister of Health, Adrian Dix, announced the resumption of non-urgent scheduled surgeries on May 7, and between May 18th and June 14th Northern Health says they have contacted 2,639 patients to ask if they would like to continue with their surgery.

1,083 scheduled and unscheduled surgeries have been completed, Northern Health (NH) mentioning in a release that all of its sites that provide surgical services are now operating near full capacity. NH is working with the private surgical centre in Prince George to increase the number of surgeries provided at that centre.

“Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we’re continuing to learn and adapt to enable patients to get the surgeries they need. Every day, hospitals are reviewing operating room and hospital bed capacity to prioritize urgent cases, including urgent oncology and emergency cases.”–Release from Northern Health

At this point in time the priority are urgent surgeries, aswell as patients who require surgery in less than four weeks; patients who have had their surgery postponed; and patients who have waited more than twice the clinically recommended time. “We’re also focused on patients whose surgeries, like cataract surgeries, can safely be conducted as day procedures,” adds NH.

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The changes that have been made to how surgeries are being approached across the province will continue throughout the summer, fall and even beyond that. “Northern Health is committed to these surgical priorities but it is important to remember that the restart of elective surgeries remains highly vulnerable to the pandemic context. As Dr. Henry, Provincial Health Officer has indicated, we are likely to experience a second wave of COVID-19 this fall. That, or a surge in new cases over the summer, may disrupt the number of surgeries that can be safely performed,” reads a release by Northern Health.