Pace of out-of-province surgeries expected to rise while Manitoba strives to reduce backlog

Manitoba has sent 59 patients awaiting spinal surgerytoFargo, N.D., in the first nine months of their arrangement a number that's expected to grow more quickly intime, the province said.

The provincial governmentcovered the cost of those procedures south of the border in a bid toreduce asurgical and diagnostic backlog thatescalatedwhile pandemic lockdownsshutteredsurgical units.

In order to whittle down the backlog faster, the Manitoba government entered intodealswith an out-of-province surgicalproviderin North Dakota and then, this summer, withclinics in northwestern Ontario and Ohio. The province expects as many as 750 Manitobanstoreceive care as a result ofthese agreements.

So far, 59 procedures have been completed in Fargo and 28 hip and knee surgeries were conducted by Big Thunder Orthopedic Associates in northwestern Ontario, the government said in an email Thursday.

More Manitobans becomingaware

A government spokesperson said the number of patients travelling out of province will speed upas the process becomes streamlined and more patients become aware of the option. Manitobanscan express their interestonline.

During question period on Thursday, NDP Leader Wab Kinewcalled on the premier to reveal how much these procedures are costing Manitoba taxpayers, a dollar figurewhich the government has kept under wraps.

Premier Heather Stefansondidn't offer a cost estimate either. She said"the important thing here is that those individuals are getting the surgical procedures they need."

The government said the price tag for out-of-province surgeriescould only be reported after the fact, as the cost for each patient varies depending on the care received.The province would not provide a rough costestimate either.

Manitoba committed $110 million in this year's budget to the work of its diagnostic and surgical recovery task force. In addition to paying for out-of-province procedures, the province is working to boost capacity locally to deliver already delayed procedures faster.

Stefansonsaid in question period Thursday that for some procedures, such ascardiac and cataract surgeries, Manitoba has completed moreoperationsin 2022 so far than the entirety of 2020 and 2021.

Thetask force recently unveiled an online dashboard to track its progress in reducing wait times and wait-list volumes.