The Ontario government says a series of moves it is making will make it easier and faster for people to access the publicly-funded surgeries and procedures they need by using community surgical and diagnostic centres – for progit healthcare.
The province has unveiled a multi-phase plan to start performing thousands of publicly funded surgeries in the private clinics.
They say the first phase will focus on expansion of cataract surgeries, followed by a second stage that expands into surgeries like knee and hip replacements, as well as diagnostic tests.
The goal is to take low acuity, low complexity surgeries outside the hospital system in an effort to tackle a massive backlog.
In making the announcement, Premier Doug Ford said, “When it comes to your health, the status quo is no longer acceptable.” He added, “Our government is taking bold action to reduce wait times for surgeries, all while ensuring Ontarians use their OHIP card to get the care they need, never their credit card.”
The first step will include the province paying for procedures ay community surgical and diagnostic centres in Ottawa, Windsor, and Kitchener-Waterloo.
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