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Surgical service improvements announced for Delta Hospital

Working with hospital physicians, Delta Hospital is taking action to strengthen its surgical services.
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Working with hospital physicians, Delta Hospital is taking action to strengthen its surgical services. These enhancements will result in better care for patients and increased capacity at the site for potential expansion of both the number and kind of surgical procedures performed, according to a press release.

Working with hospital physicians, Delta Hospital is taking action to strengthen its surgical services. These enhancements will result in better care for patients and increased capacity at the site for potential expansion of both the number and kind of surgical procedures performed, according to a press release.

Improvements to surgical services include:

Full funding for three ORs – Delta Hospital has committed to continue funding three operating rooms, allowing the hospital to further support the surgical day program.

Pre-admission clinic – Work is underway to open a pre-admission clinic where patients will be screened and assessed for their surgeries.

Orthopedic/cast clinic – Delta Hospital is working with the local Division of Family Practice and orthopedic surgeons to establish a cast clinic at the hospital by early 2016.

Establishment of a formal short-stay/observation surgical area – Delta Hospital is establishing a short-stay surgical area to enhance care to patients undergoing day surgery. This will include additional training for nurses, and the addition of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pumps for patients in recovery, and CO2 and oxygen monitors for patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Completion of a day surgery services review – Over 5,000 day surgeries are performed at Delta Hospital each year, which is approximately 10 per cent of the Fraser Health total. This review will look at whether there are additional day procedures that can be performed at this site, making Delta Hospital a centre of excellence for day surgeries.

“The commitment that hospital physicians and administrators have demonstrated in working together to improve patient care at Delta Hospital is truly impressive,” said Health Minister Terry Lake. “The actions to strengthen surgical services will help ensure that Delta Hospital continues to be a top-performing community hospital.”

Delta Hospital currently has three operating rooms and an endoscopy suite that support more than 5,000 surgical procedures each year, including 165 emergency surgeries (2014) and elective surgeries such as hip and knee repairs. As a community hospital, Delta Hospital relies on other hospitals within Fraser Health’s network to manage surgeries for more complex cases requiring over-night hospital stays or critical care services; however, less than three procedures per week require transfer to other hospitals under Fraser Health’s Higher Level of Care Policy.

“Delta Hospital has a proud history of providing excellent surgical services to the community we serve,” said Rhonda Veldhoen, Executive Director, Delta Hospital. “These improvements will mean better care for surgical patients now, and the potential for expansions to our surgical services down the road.”

“In taking these actions, Fraser Health is sending a clear message that it is committed to maintaining day surgical services at Delta Hospital, and exploring opportunities to expand both the number and kinds of procedures performed. This is great news for Delta residents, physicians and Delta Hospital staff,” said Delta North MLA Scott Hamilton.

Fraser Health analyzes the surgical needs of its communities to determine the types of surgeries that should be performed at different hospitals. The data shows that demand for emergency surgery in Delta is very low and the hospital is well-suited to support a high-quality scheduled surgical services program. Over the past eight years, scheduled surgeries have doubled from 2,600 to more than 5,100. One-third of surgical patients are from the community of Delta.

“Delta Hospital has some of the best post-surgical outcomes in the country,” said Dr. Robert Shaw, President, Delta Hospital Medical Staff Association. “I am very pleased to see Fraser Health investing in our surgical services and building capacity for the future.”