September 21 , 2006, The Brantford Expositor

BGH will use cash to perform more cataract, joint surgeries

Susan Gamble
Expositor Staff/

More hip, knee and cataract surgeries will be done at the Brantford General Hospital over the next six months as the hospital spends an extra $1.9 million in government dollars.

The money is part of a $108 million plan to reduce wait times for important surgeries.

Brant Community Healthcare spokesman, Gary Chalk, said Wednesday that the hospital will do more joint surgeries and an additional 800 cataract surgeries.

The funding covers the cost of surgeons, operating rooms, staff and all services needed.

Chalk said BGH is a benchmark in the province regarding cataract surgeries and was already planning 2,700 operations before getting the money for another 800.

"That's really good news. There are waiting lists for all of these operations," said Chalk. "Thank heavens we have the capacity to do them."

5 KEY AREAS

The ministry is pouring money into the system in five key areas: hips and knees, cataracts, MRI and CAT scans, cancer surgeries, and cardiac treatments.

A media release from the government says the investments have reduced wait times so patients are getting surgery two months earlier for cataracts, hips and knees. It's a month earlier for MRIs.

But Chalk added that there are still problems with ensuring people have proper information about actual wait times, both in Brantford and around the province.

There is not standardization about judging when a wait begins, he said, so the province is planning to gather information this fall to help correct that.

BGH will be one of 60 Ontario hospitals to collect data on real waiting times and standardize when they begin, documenting the pace at which some surgeons choose to work.

"Everyone will be consistent," Chalk said. "Eventually we'll be able to tlhe consumer Dr. X has a wait time of two weeks for this operation and Dr. Y has a wait time of six weeks."