Elective surgeries resume in Interior Health May 19

Brown says not everyone will want to get to the front of the line.

“We are already calling patients to confirm their health status and to determine whether they are willing and able to move forward with surgery,” said Brown. “I appreciate that some people may choose not to proceed with surgery at this time. They will keep their spot on the wait list if that is their choice.”

While IH begins to work its way through the newly-enlarged waiting list, more people will discover they need elective surgeries. Brown urges patience, and says IH will ensure those in the most pain are seen first.

“We know it will take some time to get back to where we were prior to March,” said Brown. “We really will do everything we can to address those who are living with pain as they wait on their surgeries.”

“Our first priorities will be to make sure that people who are coming close to that four-week period, if they have urgent needs for surgery within four weeks,” she continued, “which can be some cancer patients – to our knowledge no cancer patient has been delayed to this point in time. But that will be our first priority to make sure those people get addressed and make sure that they’re being done within their time frame.”

The first new elective surgeries will begin in IH next Tuesday (May 19). Brown says IH will ramp up slowly and begin opening up capacity with staff and spaces.

“We’ll be looking to enhance surgery availability at many of our sites because we know we’re going to have to change the flow of people through our sites to comply with Worksafe BC around physical distancing and different measures we have to take to keep people safe,” said Brown.

While elective surgeries were called off, more than 3,500 urgent and emergent surgeries were completed during the past two months.

by James Peters

Elective surgeries resume in Interior Health May 19

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