Ontario Expands Hip and Knee Surgeries to Private Clinics

Physiotherapist Ellen Newbold, right, and occupational therapist Mary Van Impe help Tim Heenan walk up some steps as he prepares for his release following day surgery for a hip replacement at St. Michael's Hospital, in Toronto on Tuesday, May 23, 2018. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young)

The Ontario government plans to increase the number of orthopedic surgeries, like hip and knee replacements, by up to 20,000 in private community surgical centres across the province in the next two years. They have allocated $125 million for this initiative.

Health Minister Sylvia Jones stated that this move aims to provide more connected and convenient care to people when and where they need it. Applications for the new surgical centres are now open.

The province aims to reduce wait times for orthopedic surgeries, ensuring that 90% of Ontario patients receive care within recommended timeframes. The new centres will be accredited by Accreditation Canada, maintaining quality standards.

Canadian wait times for surgeries have been slow to recover post-pandemic due to factors like an aging population and healthcare worker shortages. Ontario claims to have the shortest surgical wait times in Canada.

Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, president of the Ontario Medical Association, is hopeful that the new centres will help reduce wait times. She emphasized that OHIP remains the funder of care and quality controls are in place.

The province also plans to create 57 new centres for MRI, CT scans, and gastrointestinal endoscopy services, with a $155 million investment over the next two years.

The call for applications for the new orthopedic centres will be open until Aug. 27, with the first licences expected to be issued in early 2026.

According to the source: CP24.