A new hip fracture unit is being established at St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital, which will improve the way patients receive care while recovering from hip repair surgery.
The new unit will help reduce the current surgical backlog and surgical wait times in the province and aligns with the Seniors’ Health and Well-Being Plan, which focuses on improving seniors’ well-being and supporting healthy aging.
The Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, will be available to media today, Tuesday, September 24, at 12:00 noon in Confederation Building, East Block, to discuss the new unit. Premier Furey will be joined by the Honourable John Hogan, KC, Minister of Health and Community Services, the Honourable Paul Pike, Minister of Children, Seniors, and Social Development, Dr. Angela Bussey, Clinical Chief of Surgical Services, NL Health Services – Eastern Urban Zone, and Dr. Pat Parfrey, Deputy Minister of Health Transformation.
Hip fracture repairs are urgent, and surgeries can result in cancellation of other planned surgeries. Dedicating a unit for patients recovering from hip fracture surgeries will create capacity that will reduce length of stay. NL Health Services anticipates the unit will help decrease elective surgery cancellations by 100 per year.
Currently, patients with hip fractures can be admitted to any surgical floor in the hospital. Establishing the new 12-bed dedicated hip fracture unit at the hospital will ensure health care professionals will be able to provide best practices for patients recovering from hip surgery in one unit rather than multiple areas of the hospital.
NL Health Services anticipates approximately 530 hip fractures to occur in the province by the end of the year. This number is estimated to increase to 800 annually due to an increase in the average age of residents.
The Surgical Backlog Task Force provided 32 recommendations to reduce the surgical backlog in the province in August 2023.
Quotes
“This is another step our government is taking to improve health care for patients. Units dedicated to hip fractures have been introduced in other hospitals across Canada and have led to a reduction in length of hospital stay and improved access to hip fracture repair. With the new unit, health care professionals will be able to provide even better care for patients recovering from hip fractures. This new unit, and other initiatives such as the travelling orthopedic program and same-day fly-in/fly-out service, is helping improve access to surgery for patients in our province.”
Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
“Initiatives by our government are helping to reduce wait times and leading to patients getting the surgeries they need sooner than they had anticipated. We continue to work with NL Health Services and the province’s health care professionals to implement recommendations from Health Accord NL and the Provincial Surgical Task Force, which is creating a more efficient health care system.”
Honourable John Hogan, KC
Minister of Health and Community Services
“A dedicated, specialized hip fracture unit at St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital will allow for a multidisciplinary team approach to hip fracture management and a smoother recovery for our patients. At Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services, we focus on patient-centered care that helps individuals regain function, independence, and mobility after surgery. This hip fracture unit will streamline services, improve communication across the patient’s care continuum, and support the patient and their families in a comprehensive way. It is a pivotal step forward in transforming health care delivery for our older adult population.”
Dr. Angela Bussey
Clinical Chief of Surgical Services, NL Health Services – Eastern Urban Zone
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Learn more
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Taking Action to Reduce Surgical Wait Times
Provincial Surgical Backlog Task Force Report
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