The provincial government has released its framework to get elective surgeries back on track amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a release from the Ministry of Health, timelines will vary from hospital to hospital and be conditional on approval by regional oversight tables involved with planning and coordinating Ontario's response to COVID-19.
"Delaying scheduled surgeries was one of the toughest decisions we had to make as we responded to the growing threat of COVID-19," said Health Minister Christine Elliott. "However, it was imperative to ensure our readiness to protect the health and wellbeing of Ontarians as we planned for a worst-case scenario. Due to the collective efforts of everyone to stop the spread of this virus, we are now in a position where we can begin to plan for ramping up surgeries."
Premier Doug Ford says the approach will be “reasonable and gradual” and added that the framework will “keep our health care system strong, protect our frontline staff and patients, and ensure our hospitals stay prepared for any potential outbreak or surge of COVID-19."
The has laid out specific criteria that must be met before hospitals can resume scheduled surgeries, including ensuring that the hospital and its region have the following:
According to the province, these criteria will ensure hospitals take a measured and responsible approach that prioritizes the health and safety of patients and health care workers, while maintaining plans to support long-term care homes in their region.
As a first step, hospitals will need to assess if there is adequate staffing, equipment and other resources to resume scheduled care. This assessment will be revisited on a weekly basis to reflect changing needs and requirements, including responding to any COVID-19 surges that may occur locally.
The framework also sets out the criteria for prioritizing surgeries such as: