A patient from Mont-Laurier has not been able to wait since December for heart surgery at a Montreal hospital. His case illustrates the inability of the health network to commit to chasing the tens of thousands of surgeries that have accumulated from one wave to another, since the pandemic began.
When she met her family doctor at Ferme-Neuve Health Center in October, Myreille Gaudreau did not expect to be given a prescription for a heart ultrasound at Mont-Laurier Hospital.
On the spot, the diagnosis is straightforward.
The specialist told me: “In case, Myreille, you have pain in your chest, leave, it’s urgent. […] You have a serious heart problem. “
An obstruction in the aortic valve of the heart requires its replacement with a prosthesis. Open-heart surgery.
Supported by a cardiologist from the Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur in Montreal, Ms. commuted. Gaudreau several times to undergo various trials. He travels 2000 km in a few weeks.
I live in a remote region and in a difficult regionhe believes.
In principle, Ms. could have been operated on. Gaudreau for three months, according to the standards of the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS).
Do you know what a nurse told me? “You know Madam, we have a lot of files waiting and the pile will definitely fall”said this 81-year-old resident of the Laurentians.
But me, when will I pass? Will you come back when I come back?he wondered.
I want to be operated on soon, I don’t want to die yethe added, along with his wife.
On the whole, the waiting list for all operations in Quebec continues to rise from one wave to another of pandemic.
From 115,000 at the beginning of 2020, the waiting list rose to 150,000 before the fifth wave and is now approaching 160,000 in this sixth wave.
A revival that has been a long time coming
In his budget of Tuesday, March 22, 2022, Quebec’s Minister of Finance, Eric Girard, announced an amount of $ 600 million in March 2024, particularly […] to reduce the surgical waiting list.
A note states that the catch-up plan operations is re -planning.
It must be said that an initial plan announced in June 2021 provided a catch-up in less than two years with operating theater activity rates in excess of 100%.
This does not take into account the fatigue of nursing staff, vacation and absenteeism related to COVID-19.
At a press briefing last week, Assistant Deputy Minister Lucie Opatrny could not specify how much of a possible catch-up in the fall, due to the summer holidays.
We think the holidays [d’été] is important, that we can provide them, but clearly we also need to balance that with the desire that we improve activities to keep up with all the different sectors where there is some catching up to be done. [chirurgies]he replied.
11,000 absent nurses and attendants
Last summer, the operational activity rate remained below 100% despite the loss level associated with COVID-19 of less than 3,000.
About 11,000 nurses and attendants have remained absent in recent weeks due to the virus.
In addition, Minister Dubé has already mentioned the desire to use more private operations. These centers already provide up to 15 percent points of operational activity per week.
According to our sources, the rate of operational activity in the health network currently fluctuates between 70% and 80%, including the contribution of private sector operations. At the worst of the fifth wave in January, the rate dropped to 55% and rose again in mid -March to 86%.
Source: Radio-Canada