In a continued effort to address surgical backlogs in the province, the Honourable Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced a new approach for dealing with the surgical waitlist for hip and knee joint replacement surgeries.
Beginning this fall, a number of hip and knee replacements will be performed on an outpatient basis, eliminating the need for a post-operative hospital stay, as patients would mobilize shortly after surgery and return home the same day. The introduction of same-day joint replacements will help to minimize wait times and improve access to care as in some cases lack of available beds for in-patient care has been a barrier to a patient receiving planned surgery.
Recent advances such as improved perioperative short-acting anesthesia, minimally invasive surgical techniques, as well as the initiation of rehabilitation protocols soon after surgery have made this surgery possible as an outpatient procedure.
Some of the advantages of same-day joint replacement surgery are:
- Early post-operative mobilization;
- Less risk of blood clots following surgery;
- Minimally invasive surgery – less pain, swelling and faster recovery;
- Shorter hospital stay lowers the risk of infection;
- Increased patient satisfaction as recovery happens at home;
- No delays associated with waiting for post-operative inpatient beds; and,
- Increased availability of inpatient beds for other patients.
In addition to renovations and necessary staffing arrangements by Eastern Health to accommodate this new unit, the health authority will also use established best practices to determine eligibility criteria for same-day joint replacement surgery. Possible candidates include those with no significant medical history of heart, lung, kidney or liver disease, those who are not taking blood thinners for medical reasons, and those who have good supports at home.
While not all patients will be clinically eligible for this surgical approach, it will have a significant impact on overall wait times.
Quotes
“We are all concerned with surgical delays in the province, and reducing those waitlists is a priority for all health care stakeholders. The measures we announced today to help address hip and knee joint replacement surgeries represent another collaborative effort to help residents of our province get quality care in a timely manner. We will continue to find innovative solutions to the challenges facing the health care system in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Honourable Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
“Every measure we take to reduce health care wait times for residents of our province is a move in the right direction. We recognize the impacts that a pandemic and cyberattack placed on the system and we are working on creative solutions. An outpatient approach to hip and knee joint replacements will certainly help reduce the wait time for those requiring this type of surgery.”
Honourable John Haggie
Minister of Health and Community Services
“Reducing wait times and improving patient outcomes are key priorities for Eastern Health as we navigate ever-changing demands on the health-care system. Same-day joint replacement surgery is an innovative way to enhance patient care which also improves access to the health care system for all patients.”
David Diamond
Chief Executive Officer, Eastern Health
“As an orthopedic surgeon, I am looking forward to using this innovative approach to joint replacement surgery with some of my patients. Adopting same-day joint replacement surgery practices will help us use our present resources even more efficiently while improving patient care and satisfaction. It is an important step toward improving wait times for joint replacement in our region.”
Dr. Keegan Au
Orthopedic Surgeon
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Media contacts
Meghan McCabe
Office of the Premier
709-729-3960
meghanmccabe@gov.nl.ca
Nancy Hollett
Health and Community Services
709-729-6554, 327-7878
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Gina MacArthur
Eastern Health
709-777-1412
gina.macarthur@easternhealth.ca