Thunder Bay hospital increasing access to priority surgery

The Thunder Bay Health Sciences Centre is increasing access to some surgical procedures for priority patients, the doctor heading up the facility's COVID-19 response said.

The hospital has been limiting services as part of its pandemic response.

However, Dr. Stewart Kennedy said the hospital's surgical group is working to increase surgical capacity for high-priority patients, such as those in need of procedures related to cancer or infections.

"This week, our surgical group is reviewing the list of patients that are higher-priority, and are going to open up some surgical capacity to move this forward," he said. "We can't allow our patients in the community to not be treated in a priority fashion because of COVID-19."

Elective surgeries, and other non-essential services provided by the hospital, have been cancelled until further notice.