SUDBURY -- The Temiskaming Hospital’s surgical department has received approval from Ontario Health North to reopen for elective surgeries June 10, 2020.
The Surgical Department is currently working to reschedule more than 400 procedures that were paused March 23, 2020.
’’With the COVID-19 pandemic, our service was restricted to urgent, life-saving cases to decrease the risk for our patients,” said Chief of Surgery Dr. Khaled Elgadi. “During that time, we developed, adjusted and perfected protocols that made surgical procedures safe to patients and health care workers.”
Temiskaming Hospital president and CEO Mike Baker says after consultations with executive staff members, they were confident in the decision to make the application to restart surgeries.
“The application process included nine factors that needed to be satisfied including: stable COVID-19 cases in the district, a ramp-down program should COVID-19 cases spike in the district, acceptable hospital occupancy levels and adequate supply of personal protective equipment including medication at Temiskaming Hospital.” Baker said.
“We are at a stage that we can increase the volume of our procedures without putting patients at risk,” Elgadi said. “We will continue to monitor the situation of the pandemic and adjust accordingly.”
Patients waiting for surgery are asked to not call or visit the hospital to inquire about surgery dates. All patients will be contacted when the hospital is ready for them.
“We want to remind the community that many restrictions are still in effect including visitor restrictions,” said Baker. “While we slowly begin to reopen departments throughout the hospital, we must remain diligent in order to continue to minimize the threat of COVID-19 from entering through our front doors."
Equipment has been purchased to minimize turnaround time in the operating room, but it is still expected to take five weeks for Temiskaming Hospital’s Surgical Department to reach 70 per cent of pre-COVID-19 surgeries.
From release.
