Wait Times Reduced for Hip and Knee Replacements

Canterbury Wait Times Reduced for Hip and Knee Replacements

Canterbury people, who are ready for hip and knee replacements, are now receiving a surgeon’s assessment and their operation all within six months, thanks to increased capacity and resources at Burwood Hospital’s new Surgical Services Unit.

“This is fantastic news. It means that Canterbury people assessed as needing a hip or knee replacement can be offered an operation and receive it within a very short time, provided they are fit for surgery,” Burwood Hospital General Manager Vince Barry said

“With hip and knee wait times at an acceptable level, we can turn our attention to improving access to other orthopaedic procedures such as back, foot, hand and shoulder surgery,” he said.

Thirty per cent more Canterbury patients will receive these other procedures this year and Canterbury District Health Board is currently employing more orthopaedic surgeons and other staff to do the extra work.

Funding from the government’s nationwide Orthopaedic Initiative, which enabled CDHB to open its new Surgical Services Unit in April, was designed to address the increasing demand for hip and knee replacements from our ageing population. Since it began in 2004, CDHB has increased the number of hip and knee replacements it performs from 550 patients to an expected 1116 patients in 2007/08. This represents an increase of 1100 hours of operating theatre time each year.

“A vital part of ensuring that we can continue to sustain a higher volume of procedures has been to look at the patient’s journey from their Family Doctor through assessment, surgery and home again,” Mr Barry said. “Streamlining this process has involved an amazing team effort including patients, hospital staff, General Practitioners and community representatives from agencies such as the Arthritis Society, Elder Care Canterbury and Age Concern.”

The new pathway for patients that came out of this work greatly influenced the design of the new Surgical Services Unit, making the most efficient use of the new facilities and eliminating any unnecessary delays for patients.

The prioritisation process for all CDHB patients referred for a hip or knee replacement is now the same. After visiting their General Practice, they are referred for physiotherapy assessment at Burwood Hospital to confirm their level of need for surgery. Depending on the outcome, assessment by an orthopaedic surgeon may or may not then take place.

Unfortunately about 30 per cent of people who require a hip or knee replacement have medical or other issues that need to be resolved or managed to ensure the best possible result from their surgery. Individual plans for the care of these people are developed between them, hospital staff, practice nurses and General Practitioners.

ENDS

Footnote: Under the National Electives Policy, the Canterbury District Health Board is required to offer people, who meet the criteria for a hip or knee replacement, assessment within six months and if they need surgery, an operation within the following six months. Assessment and surgery are currently both being made available within six months rather than a year at Burwood’s Surgical Services Unit.

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