New anesthetists could reduce wait times at RIH

Apr 7, 2016 | 6:21 PM

KAMLOOPS — There is good news on the horizon for those waiting for surgery at Royal Inland Hospital.

Local health officials working in collaboration have successfully recruited three new anesthetists for the hospital’s surgical department.

The hospital’s head of anesthesiology Dr. John Guy says the third is set to arrive this summer.

Guy says that means another operating room can open up as soon as September, and that could ease a big backlog.

“There are some wait times in certain specialties, like orthopedic joint replacements, ear, nose and throat surgery, those kinds of procedures that people have very long waits on,” explained Guy who added, “there will be a concerted effort by the hospital and the health authority, our department and the surgical department to reduce those wait times as much as possible.”

Guy notes it’s tough to recruit anesthesiologists to BC because this province pays them significantly less than they would get elsewhere in Canada.

But he says the province has committed to addressing that disparity.