Despite extra funding from the government, Windsor Regional Hospital's Chief of Staff says it will be nearly impossible to eliminate the current surgical backlog.
Recently, the Ontario government announced funding that would allow hospitals to run surgical departments at 115 per cent capacity. However, that would require additional health care staff and the space to complete the surgeries.
"I just don't see us running at 115 per cent with the resources that we have," said Dr. Wassim Saad. "It's just asking a little bit too much of people who have already given quite a bit during the pandemic."
Windsor Regional Hospital resumed all surgeries at the end of the third wave and is currently running at 100 per cent. Dr. Saad estimates there are about 6,000-8,000 procedures on the growing wait-list.
"To clear them out with our current system I think is nearly impossible because I don't think recruitment is going to happen any time soon, people need a break from this pandemic and there just isn't the physical space and infrastructure to get them done in the time we're being asked to do them," said Dr. Saad.
Even by running at 115 per cent it could take up to two years to catch up on all the procedures that were cancelled due to the pandemic.