Alberta adds 5,000 priority surgeries

Alberta Health Services has upped the number of surgeries performed in the province each year by 5,000.

The new procedures conducted throughout Alberta will include cancer, heart, knee and cataract surgeries.

"This capacity was needed. This capacity is meaningful. This capacity will make a difference. And as surgeons, we're pleased with this announcement," said Dr. John Kortbeek, department head of surgery in Calgary.

More than 250,000 surgeries are performed in Alberta every year, so the announcement made on Wednesday represents a roughly two per cent bump.

The cost for the additional surgeries is estimated to be about $16.7 million a year.

In February, AHS launched a six-week campaign to perform more surgeries, as well as MRI and CT scans.

This campaign resulted in 2,252 more surgeries, including 969 cataract surgeries, and 3,600 more scans being completed. Between April and the end of August, an additional 1,385 surgeries were completed, including 410 cataract surgeries, the province said.

These two campaigns, plus approximately 1,350 additional surgeries, will be added in 2011 for a total of 5,000 more surgeries per year, AHS said in a news release.

"We've been asking for additional capacity to address priority wait times and improve access. Now we have it," said Kortbeek.

A recent Fraser Institute study said patients have to wait longer than the average Canadian to get surgery

It's not clear what effect the increase will have on the wait times.