Request for proposal issued for additional hip and knee surgeries: SHA
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), along with the Ministry of Health, have issued a request for proposal (RFP) to provide a centre for additional hip and knee surgeries in Regina.
The RFP will begin the process to find potential third parties to provide up to 3,000 elective orthopedic surgeries per year.
Minister of Health, Paul Merriman, said issuing the RFP will help tackle the waitlist.
"Our surgical numbers are still at a high amount. This was something that we announced in the budget that we were going to increase our surgical capacity up to 97,000 this year which included all surgeries," he said.
The details of the RFP include a stand-alone surgery facility focused on orthopedics, increasing bed capacity for in-patient joint replacements, and day surgery procedures.
It will be the first privately owned health care facility in the province with operating rooms and patient beds for extended stays.
The nurses union and the NDP worry that hospital staff will move as well.
“Taking workers from the public system is, I’m afraid it’s going to make things worse,” said NDP leader Carla Beck.
The government anticipates doctors and nurses will move but will accomplish more in a private facility.
“It’s the same doctors, it’s the same staff. It’s just more efficient to be able to go through those privately run facilities as they don’t have that large administration,” Merriman said.
This is a further departure from publicly operated health care to a for profit model. The government said patients won’t have to worry about the cost because it will be covered by Medicare.
There are currently around 8,000 patients in Saskatchewan waiting for joint replacements, and the SHA said projections show the demand for orthopedic surgeries in the province will rise.
“Our surgical teams are dedicated to working through a number of challenges to address the surgical waitlist,” Vice President of Integrated Urban Health and Chief Nursing Officer for SHA, Sharon Garratt said in a news release.
The submission deadline is 2 p.m. on Sept. 12, and it is anticipated that services will be available on or before Dec. 31, 2023.
More information on the process and timelines of the RFP can be found on the SaskTenders website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
WATCH LIVE As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Former Sask. massage therapist who sexually assaulted clients has day parole revoked
A former massage therapist who pleaded guilty to a string of sexual assaults has had his day parole revoked.