A shortage of medical staff is delaying surgeries at Sault Area Hospital.
“Anaesthesia shortages and a lack of locum physicians are impacting operating room blocks efficiency and block cancellations,” wrote Ila Watson, SAH president and CEO, in a written report to the hospital’s board of directors for its monthly meeting held on Monday evening.
The board returned to in-person meetings on Monday, but guests and members of the media were instructed to view the meeting virtually.
“There is a noticeable increase in wait lists as patients are being seen and identified for surgery,” Watson wrote.
The board did not discuss any initiatives that SAH might take to alleviate the problem.
SooToday has reached out to SAH and will have more details as they become available.
Meanwhile, the board did receive some good news at Monday’s meeting.
Sue Roger, SAH vice president of clinical operations and chief nursing executive, told the board that the hospital is growing its cardiology department’s list of services due to the recent recruitment - by the Group Health Centre - of a new cardiologist last year.
As a result, SAH has added transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to its range of echocardiography services.
A TEE is a special type of echocardiogram designed to search for blood clots in which a probe is passed through the mouth and into the esophagus.
The procedure uses high-frequency sound waves - ultrasound - to examine the heart.
“It’s a conscious, sedated procedure and highly specialized work,” Roger told the board.
Between April 1, 2022 and March 7, 2023, 53 TEEs have been performed at SAH.
“Fifty-three patients have had that care closer to home this year, so that’s a very good report for a first-year reintroduction,” Roger said.
The board was also told that SAH now has 38 volunteers going through the orientation process for the hospital’s ‘Cuddler Program.’
The hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) developed the program for babies born pre-term to parents with substance use disorders or parents on prescribed medications that may require specialized care in the NICU.
The volunteers will hold the newborns as touch is vital to child development.
The Cuddler Program will begin when training for volunteers has been completed.
