Editor:
Re: Group wants more friends, Feb. 11
As the executive director of Delta Hospital, I want to address some of the issues raised in your recent article on the hospital, and in particular our surgical program.
For physicians at the hospital to describe the situation as a crisis or suggesting that the surgical program is in imminent danger of imploding is alarmist, unnecessary and does a disservice to the hospital and the community.
Delta should be proud of the hospital's surgery program, as it boasts some of the best post-surgical outcomes for day surgeries across the country.
We work closely with the hospital's surgical department to evaluate the needs of patients. Our goal is for patients to receive the best care with the best outcomes.
Capitalizing on our network of hospitals, different hospitals can excel at providing care by each specializing in certain services. Delta Hospital performs over 5,000 surgeries annually, and approximately 150 patients are transferred from Delta to another hospital for surgery. That's less than three cases a week.
We continue to invest in new services at the hospital. This past month, we provided additional funding to support a pre-admission clinic, further underlining our commitment to ensuring the best possible outcome for our patients.
The hospital will also benefit from the recently announced additional 650 surgeries Fraser Health's surgical program will be performing over the next two months.
We appreciate the commitment of individuals in the community in support of their local hospital. However, the needs of the community, and the system itself, have changed dramatically over the years, and our leadership team must continue to make decisions about all services at the hospital based on evidence and within the context of the evolving needs of patients.
Catherine Butler
Executive Director Delta Hospital
