The B.C. government will be implementing strategies that will increase access to surgeries such as hip and knee replacement.
B.C.’s wait times for some key surgeries are among the longest in the country – and have grown in recent years.
The provincial surgical strategy includes:
• Funding for 4,000 more hip and knee surgeries this year. Ongoing targeted funding of $75 million starting in 2018-2019 and increasing to $100 million in 2019-2020.
• Five specialized hip and knee replacement programs throughout the province designed to support increased surgical volumes, reduce wait times, and improve continuity of care for patients.
• Centralized intake, assessment, and triage with a single point of access so that people have the option of seeing the first available surgeon.