There were 702 surgeries completed within Interior Health from May 19th to 24th (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

ELECTIVE SURGERIES

Resumption of elective surgeries going smoothly, capacity down at RIH due to COVID-19

May 29, 2020 | 10:53 AM

KAMLOOPS — It’s been nearly two weeks since elective surgeries resumed across the province. Royal Inland Hospital is slowly getting back to operations, running at lower capacity due to COVID-19.

Across Interior Health, 3,000 surgeries were postponed during a ten-week period between March and May, further delaying operations. Interior Health is trying to work through as many surgeries as possible to reduce the backlog, while also keeping staff and patients safe during the pandemic.

Since last Tuesday (May 19), when elective surgeries officially resumed, 16 hospitals across Interior Health have reopened their operating rooms, including RIH. The first week saw 702 elective surgeries completed — down to about two-thirds the number of operations during pre-COVID times.

“We have to recognize we had our elective surgeries on hold for about ten weeks, and we’re trying to improve our efficiency related to those [COVID-19] protocols. That will be a key goal for us in the coming weeks to become more efficient,” said Vice President of Clinical Operations for Interior Health North Karen Bloemink.

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COVID-19 remains RIH’s top priority, but a lower number of hospitalizations has allowed for elective surgeries to resume, albeit with a number of changes due to the pandemic. The safety precautions have limited the number of surgeries in Kamloops and elsewhere around the Interior.

“This involves things like making sure our staff has the time to put on the appropriate protective wear if it’s needed, to make sure we have time to clean in between surgeries,” noted Bloemink. “So as you can appreciate, these are things we couldn’t have had to build into our surgical schedules prior to our COVID pandemic.”

Surgeons, nurses and other staff are wearing the usual gloves, masks and gowns, and in some cases shields, depending on the operation. Interior Health says it has had no issues with acquiring the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

“Personal protective equipment is a key factor in making sure that we’re able to maintain the surgical capacity that we are bringing on for everyone’s safety,” said Bloemink. “We are working along with all the other health authorities in the provincial context around our supply.”

Ahead of booking an elective surgery, hospitals are screening patients about COVID-19 so they are as well-informed as possible before the operation.

“What we’re aiming to avoid is booking patients who may be impacted by the virus,” Bloemink said. “We know we can’t do that if we have emergency scenarios, but our goal is to screen patients so that we have the ability to minimize as much PPE as possible and get as many patients back into the system and scheduled as possible.”

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said earlier this month clearing the surgical backlog will take 17 months. But he says the province is doing everything it can to speed up wait times.

“On May 31, we want all contracted private surgical facilities working at maximum capacity, and by June 15 all existing operating rooms running at full capacity,” said Dix on Thursday from Victoria. “From June 15 to October 15, we’ll add resources and capacity by extending daily hours of operating, adding Saturdays and Sundays to the schedule, and opening new operating rooms.”