B.C. vows to reduce surgical wait times for hip and knee replacements
VANCOUVER — British Columbia will address long wait lists for hip and knee replacements, allowing an extra 4,000 people to have the surgeries in the coming year, the premier says.
John Horgan said a $75-million investment this year is expected to increase to as much as $100 million in 2018-19 with the opening of new programs focusing on system improvements, such as operating room efficiencies.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said advocates for improved care have long argued that lessons learned from a former hip and knee project in Richmond be applied more broadly.
“When it comes to surgeries, I think it’s fair to say people have been waiting too long to get back to their normal lives,” Dix said Wednesday.