{"id":14549,"date":"2020-10-02T17:21:34","date_gmt":"2020-10-02T21:21:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/?p=14549"},"modified":"2020-10-06T17:23:15","modified_gmt":"2020-10-06T21:23:15","slug":"more-than-15000-surgeries-postponed-in-eastern-ontario-outaouais-due-to-pandemic-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/more-than-15000-surgeries-postponed-in-eastern-ontario-outaouais-due-to-pandemic-2\/","title":{"rendered":"More than 15,000 surgeries postponed in eastern Ontario, Outaouais due to pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

(October 1, 2020)<\/p>\n

By: CBC News Staff, CBC News<\/p>\n

Hospitals in eastern Ontario and Outaouais\u00a0are dealing with a lengthy backlog of surgical procedures that were either postponed or cancelled to free up space and staff amid the\u00a0pandemic.<\/p>\n

About 14,000 elective surgeries were put on hold\u00a0in hospitals in the Champlain local health network region.\u00a0In the Outaouais, 1,150 surgical procedures were delayed according to the\u00a0Centre int\u00e9gr\u00e9 de sant\u00e9 et de services sociaux de l’Outaouais<\/em>\u00a0(CISSS).<\/p>\n

Both in Ontario and the Outaouais, public health authorities were\u00a0unable say\u00a0when they’ll be able to overcome long wait lists.<\/p>\n

“People with cancers and other serious conditions are waiting,” said Natalie Mehra, executive director of Ontario Health Coalition.<\/p>\n

Mehra said the situation will only get worse, as the number of COVID-19 infections increases in the area.<\/p>\n

“If there is a plan to shut down hospitals, surgeries and diagnostics again … things can get even more gravely serious for people with other conditions waiting for treatment,” said\u00a0Mehra.<\/p>\n

The number of surgeries conducted\u00a0in the region has yet to return to normal\u00a0due to physical distancing standards.<\/p>\n

Operating rooms in hospitals in the greater Ottawa area have resumed to about 80 per cent\u00a0of their capacity.\u00a0CISSS\u00a0is targeting a rate of 70 per cent, without specifying what the current rate is in its hospitals.<\/p>\n

‘Catch-up’ plan and longer hours: Montfort<\/h2>\n

Marcelle Thibeault, clinical director at Montfort\u00a0Hospital, said the hospital has developed a “catch-up” plan to deal with the backlog.<\/p>\n

<\/section>\n

“We’re opening\u00a0our hours of operation for longer days and weekends,” said Thibeault.\u00a0“Some hospitals are doing blitzes to to tackle some of the longest wait times that we have.”<\/p>\n

Thibeault said some surgeries will\u00a0be moved to private clinics across the region.<\/p>\n

“I feel very comfortable with the regional planning that we have, to prepare for the next wave,” said Thibeault. “We know a lot more about COVID\u00a0than we did six months ago.”<\/p>\n

Nicolas Gillot, director of professional services at CISSS, said he’s most concerned about a shortage of health professionals to tackle a second wave of COVID-19 cases.<\/p>\n

Gillot\u00a0said hospitals throughout the Outaouais\u00a0are working together to whittle down the wait\u00a0list for surgeries.<\/p>\n

Funds needed from provinces, says coalition<\/h2>\n

Mehra\u00a0said it will take a financial investment from provincial governments to fix the problem.<\/p>\n

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