The orthopedic team at Boundary Trails Health Centre (BTHC) was able to perform more hip and knee replacement surgeries than planned last year. In total, 639 surgeries were completed. That's 139 more than planned, according to the Government of Manitoba.
On Monday, Health minister, Audrey Gordon, used BTHC as the backdrop to provide an update on government's commitment to increase the number of joint replacements performed in Manitoba. The Minister noted, BTHC is one of several health-care facilities across the province that is completing more hip and knee replacement surgeries thanks to projects funded through the Province of Manitoba's Diagnostic and Surgical Recovery Task Force, established in December 2021.
“We are healing health care and improving the lives of many Manitobans who need orthopedic hip and knee surgery by listening to health-care experts,” said Gordon. “We are providing more life-improving care for thousands of people and their loved ones by building capacity for joint replacement surgery. This additional capacity in Southern Health-Santé Sud means patients receive care closer to home and reduces the need to travel to Winnipeg.”
More than half of the hip and knee replacements performed at BTHC in 2022/23 were same-day surgeries, something the task force implemented just 6 months ago.
"During this time, 387 joint replacements were completed," stated Jane Curtis, CEO for Southern Health-Sante Sud. "The shift to same-day surgery has enabled patients to recovery safely in the comfort of their own homes, and has enabled patient beds to remain available to those who need them."
"I would like to express our sincere appreciation to the Province of Manitoba and the task force for enabling us to expand our joint replacement program and positively impact the lives of many," added Curtis. "Of course, none of this would be possible if not for our very talented orthopedic team here at Boundary Trails Health Centre. Your dedication to this program has not gone unnoticed. Thank you for all you do."
Dr. Hany Asham is an orthopedic surgeon at BTHC. He says thanks to the efforts of the task force, their team has been able to increase surgical capacity by 30 per cent.
"These outcomes are largely due to the introduction of same-day surgery," he said. "As an orthopedic surgeon here at Boundary Trails, I have seen first-hand how this transformation of services has positively impacted the lives of our patients. Same day surgery enable us to expand our program that significantly improved the patient's mobility and allowed them to recover safely in their own homes."
Last year, more than 6,000 procedures were completed in Manitoba with nearly 600 funded through the task force, including hip and knee replacement surgeries at the following health-care facilities:
639 at Boundary Trails Health Centre in Morden-Winkler;
856 at Brandon General Hospital in Brandon;
1,974 at Concordia Hospital in Winnipeg;
2,169 at Grace Hospital in Winnipeg;
76 at Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg; and
290 at facilities outside of Manitoba, offered through interim agreements to build short-term capacity.
Overall, about 10 per cent of these procedures were completed as day surgeries, noted the Province.
The Manitoba government established the DSRTF in December 2021. This team of respected local health-care professionals identifies and implements short- and long-term solutions to improve surgical and diagnostic waitlists and make overall lasting improvements to Manitoba’s health-care system.
Photos taken by Pam Fedack