Surgery backlog due to COVID-19 could take 84 weeks to clear: study

TORONTO -- A new study suggests it could take more than a year and a half to clear the backlog of surgeries in Ontario hospitals caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Modelling research published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal says the estimated time to clear surgeries postponed due to the pandemic is 84 weeks, with a target of 717 surgeries per week.
The provincial government instructed Ontario hospitals to cancel elective surgeries and other activities deemed not urgent in mid-March to prepare for a possible surge of COVID-19 patients.
That directive was lifted in late May and hospitals gradually resumed performing those surgeries.
The study says that between March 15 and June 13, Ontario hospitals accrued a backlog of 148,364 procedures.
Its authors say the data will play an important role in health planning moving forward, and the modelling framework can be adapted to other jurisdictions.
"The magnitude of the surgical backlog from COVID-19 raises important implications for planning for the recovery phase and for possible second waves of the pandemic in Ontario," study co-author Dr. Jonathan Irish, a surgeon at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, said in a statement.
The researchers say health systems "cannot go back to business as usual" if they want to manage the impact on patients, and must find innovative solutions to prepare for future waves of the novel coronavirus.
Related
- Province asking hospitals to ramp down elective surgeries in response to COVID-19 pandemic
- Trillium Health Partners rescheduling non-essential surgeries to prevent the spread of COVID-19
- Mississauga hospitals caring for signficant number of COVID patients, cancelling and postponing some surgeries
- Ontario doctors urging Province to prioritize surgery backlog in 2021 budget
- Ontario develops framework to resume scheduled surgeries and procedures
Trending
- Top 5 Chicken on the Rocks in Mississauga
- Some university students in Mississauga are dating older partners to pay off debt
- Vehicle leaves scene after striking pedestrian in Mississauga
- Three OPP officers charged following allegations of preferential treatment for GTA tow operators
- Long-awaited store finally opens in Streetsville
Your Comments