Fraser Health hip and knee replacement program helps people get back in the swing of things

• Dedicated operating room time;
• Pre- and post-surgical support;
• Centralized intake;
• Standardized assessment;
• Access to the first-available surgeon; and
• Ongoing program evaluation.

The Fraser Health hip and knee replacement program builds on Burnaby Hospital’s Central Intake and Optimization Clinic for Arthroplasty, which enables booking with the first available surgeon, rather than relying on a traditional referral relationship between a family physician and an orthopedic surgeon. This new approach helps to ensure people have timely access to surgery. The clinic also supports patients with a nurse-liaison throughout each step of the process, to make them aware of options that are available in the community to help them recover more quickly when they return home.

Golf aficionado James Suttie, who recently underwent knee surgery at Burnaby Hospital, attended the Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia earlier this month. He walked the full course for the first time since his surgery.

"I have always been an active person, and it was challenging to be sidelined by a knee injury that prevented me from doing the activities I love,” said Suttie. “The new approach to hip and knee surgeries at Burnaby Hospital ensured I was well prepared every step of the way, leading up to and following my procedure. Just a few months after undergoing knee surgery, I am well into my recovery journey, and am already planning a variety of active pursuits later this year.”

As part of the B.C. Surgical and Diagnostic Imaging Strategy, Fraser Health will also see a 14 per cent increase in MRI exams, for a total 63,000 in 2018-19. Approximately $11 million in funding is being made available to increase MRI capacity province-wide in the public-health system, and achieve a total of 225,000 MRI exams in 2018-19.

In 2016-17 approximately 14,390 hip and knee surgeries were performed throughout the province and by 2018-19 more than 19,250 will be done. The additional surgeries will mean a 34 per cent increase in hip and knee surgeries. This will significantly reduce the number of patients waiting. As of March 31, 2017, province-wide, 30 per cent of people waiting for hip surgery and 38 per cent of people waiting for knee surgery waited more than 26 weeks.

Under the provincial surgical strategy, which is being supported with ongoing targeted funding of $75 million starting in 2018-19, and increasing to $100 million in 2019-20, approximately 9,400 more publicly funded surgeries will be completed by the end of March 2019.

The strategy will improve timely access to surgery through a more efficient surgical system, and will help the Province catch up and keep up with demand, starting with hip and knee replacement surgery and dental surgery. It will also improve patient experience, by focusing on improving surgical pathways, co-ordination of care and information provided to patients.

Information about B.C.'s surgery strategy.

Information about B.C.'s strategy to improve dental surgery access for vulnerable children and adults.

In 2016-17, Fraser Health completed 3,363 scheduled hip and knee surgeries.

Fraser Health hip replacements:

• During the 2017-18 fiscal year, as of February 28, 2018, there were 1,055 hip replacements performed throughout Fraser Health.
• Average age of hip replacement recipients is 66 years (patients ages ranged from 26 to 95 years).
• Number of patients waiting as of February 28, 2018 was 556.

Fraser Health knee replacements:

• During the 2017-18 fiscal year, as of February 28, 2018, there were 2,323 knee replacements.
• Average age of knee replacement recipients is 69 years (patients ages ranged from 26 to 95 years).
• Number of patients waiting as of February 28, 2018 was 1,898.

The projected number of hip and knee replacement surgeries in 2018-19 is 4,436.

The number of patients waiting is measured from the time a surgeon communicates a patient's surgical needs to the time it takes to get an appointment booked at a hospital.