By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is well on its way to clearing the surgical backlog brought on by COVID-19.
According to Caen Suni, vice president of clinical programs and operations, the hospital is now performing more surgical procedures than it did in the same time pre-pandemic frame from September to November 2019.
At a recent media conference, Suni explained how the hospital’s renewal strategy is working.
Mandated by the Ministry of Health for all Ontario hospitals, the government called on hospitals to address five key areas of surgery by creating an 18-month plan.
To date, said Suni, progress is being made in joint surgeries, including hips and knee replacements, women’s and children’s surgeries, and gallbladder surgeries.
Major gains are also being made in cancer surgeries, Suni said, which have more than doubled compared to pre-pandemic times, running at 217 per cent. Orthopaedic procedures have also increased, running at 116 per cent.
Suni said that while the numbers “ebb and flow,” 2021’s increases show the hospital is on the right track.
“The fact that our numbers are higher speaks to the success of the strategy,” Suni said.
Increasing the number of cataract surgeries and tonsillectomies are two areas within the strategy the hospital is currently working to improve, he added.
Shorter wait times is another metric by which success is measured, Suni noted, adding the hospital is continuing to move in right direction.
In addition, the hospital’s diagnostic services have returned to normal levels, he added.
The CKHA’s determination in addressing the surgical backlog is being noticed, putting it in the top 20 per cent of 30 Ontario West hospitals.
“We are performing quite well,” Suni said.
Earlier in the year, the hospital reported a backlog of about 2,000 surgeries.
Both Suni and hospital president and CEO Lori Marshall credit the newfound success to clinical and support staff working in concert end to end.
Reallocating services and staff and investing in new technology is also aiding the effort, he said.
Marshall said she wanted extend her personal thanks to all the staff at CKHA.
As for losing 26 employees to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, Marshall said the hospital has filled the gap with reallocation of staff and 21 new hires. Services have not been affected by the change.
Marshall said the hospital is looking at welcoming back volunteers in March 2022 after a long absence due to the pandemic.
“We’ve missed them so much,” Marshall told the media. “We’re eager to have them support us again.”
