Surgical wait times improving across the board at Royal Inland Hospital

KAMLOOPS — In recent years, a person who was on the list for a surgical procedure at Royal Inland Hospital had a lengthy wait ahead of them — partly due to factors like pandemic service interruptions and chronic short staffing for nurses and doctors. Lately though, wait times for surgeries in all areas have seen a noticeable improvement.

It’s well known that the COVID-19 pandemic compounded pre-existing strain within the national healthcare system. But in Kamloops recently, surgical teams have made a sizable dent in the backlog of people waiting for a treatment, compared to the situation two years ago.

Referencing data from March of 2022, RIH Director of Surgical Services Chad Rideout says there has been a positive shift.

“We had roughly 600 patients waiting more than a year for surgery (in 2022),” Rideout told CFJC Today. “Looking at the same data now today, we’re down to single digits.”

The leading reason for the improvement is simply more operating rooms. The hospital was previously running eight ORs. With the Phil and Jennie Gaglardi Tower addition, there are now 11, with two more on the way for a grand total of 13 operating rooms. Rideout reiterates that more space is only part of the equation.

“Number One, infrastructure and the ability to have patients in more operating rooms during the day, during the week and during the month. But there’s also the human resources aspect,” he adds. “Our surgeons, our anesthesiologists, nurses… housekeeping, every single person who has a role to make sure we’re delivering safe patient care and increasing safe patient care for our community.”

At one point, the orthopedics queue was so lengthy it prompted the BC Orthopaedic Association to pen a letter to the health minister. Today though, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tyler MacGregor says it’s a very different picture.

“Personally, my wait time for surgery used to be in the 104-week range. Those are the long waiters, right? I had a lot of long waiters. Now, I’m operating on some people at 8-10 weeks,” he explains. “Those are some of the shorter ones, obviously, but average wait times are certainly well within our 26-week target.”

Orthopedics is one example, but across the board, RIH has seen a more efficient flow of people coming in and out for all kinds of procedures.

“We’re right on the cusp of really turning that corner and so we’re getting out ahead of it,” says MacGregor. “We’re really trying to get that out there and let the family physicians know that, certainly from an orthopedic perspective, we’re open for business in Kamloops and we can handle the volume.”

Ongoing staffing challenges haven’t disappeared. However, Rideout says he’s confident a better surgical flow could help with retaining people and recruiting new hires who want to be able to do the work they’re passionate about.

“For Kamloops and Royal Inland to offer future surgeons to come and practice their craft, I think that’s very welcoming for anybody, but specifically for someone who is very highly trained.”

According to Dr. MacGregor, Kamloops isn’t there yet, but wait times coming down and better operating room infrastructure are positive signs of the direction the hospital is headed.

“It’s not just a light at the end of the tunnel now, the tunnel is shorter,” he stresses. “The tunnel is much shorter.”