Alexandra Hospital Ingersoll (AHI) will complete 110 additional cataract surgeries over the next several months. The surgeries, to be performed between now and the end of March, will help
reduce wait lists for these procedures.
Cataract surgery is the most commonly performed surgery in Canada, during which your cataract is removed and an artificial intraocular lens is implanted. In January 2018, it was reported that Alexandra Hospital Ingersoll had among the longest wait times for Cataract surgery in the province.
“Extended wait times are a concern for everyone”, says Sandy Jansen, President and CEO of AHI. “Patients waiting for cataract surgery experience reduced quality of life, are at greater risk of falls, accidents, and motor-vehicle accidents.”
The team at AHI has been successful in finding some efficiencies within this years hospital operating budget says Mike Bastow, Chief Operating Officer. “Our priority is patient care and so it
was decided to re-invest these precious dollars where we need it most, which currently is to provide more cataract surgeries to patients in our area.” While this increase in cases performed at
AHI is only for this year, Bastow says the hospital will continue to work with the Southwest Local Health Integrated Network to address wait times for surgeries as part of our long-term strategy to improve access and build capacity.