Just as the economy of Saskatchewan is gradually reopening, so too will the health care services put on hold to stem the transmission of COVID-19. The Saskatchewan Health Authority has announced Tuesday, May 19th, after the long weekend, the first phase begins. That includes some everyday health services, diagnostic imaging and a 10 to 25 per cent expansion of surgeries.
Examples include the more urgent cases of cataract, hysterectomy, and thoracic surgeries. MRIs will increase from 50 per cent of normal capacity to 75 per cent and CT scans will increase from 55 to 75 per cent of normal capacity. Established online programs and virtual care will continue wherever possible. The dates for Phase 2 through 4 haven’t been determined yet.
Phase 2 includes service delivery in things like cardiac stress testing, outpatient heart monitoring, and dermatology clinics. Phase 3 further expands everyday health services like specialized services for clients with developmental disabilities and brain injuries, chronic disease management like wellness programs and stroke prevent and the continued re-introduction of mental health and addictions services. Phase 4 brings service up to full resumption of services including the addition of long-waiting elective surgeries and re-opening the hip/knee outpatient clinic.
Click here for a power point presentation on the phases of the plan. PUBLIC_Service Resumption Plan
Phase 1 will start May 19, 2020. Highlights from this phase include:
Surgical services: phased expansion of surgeries from emergency and three week urgent cases to those booked as six week urgent cases, resulting in a 10 to 25 percent increase in surgical services.
Example… Cataracts, hysterectomy, cochlear, thoracic
Diagnostic imaging: Increased outpatient volumes, including:
MRI: increase from 50 per cent of normal capacity to 75 per cent of normal capacity
CT: increase from 55 per cent of normal capacity to 75 per cent of normal capacity
Primary Care Clinics: expand availability, continue to use virtual care where possible, and prioritize in person visits for those living with chronic diseases
All routine immunizations
Public Health Inspections: increase inspections of long-term care homes, personal care homes and group homes.
Mental health and addictions: re-open mental health short stay units, allow the option of in-person appointments as needed, allow more therapeutic/day programming for groups under 10 people and resume regular hours for harm reduction programs.
Also includes gradual re-introduction of services in other key areas like home care, kidney health, rehabilitation and therapy programs.
Phase 2: Specialty Clinics (dates to be determined)
The plan notes that SHA-operated specialty clinics will continue with virtual care at specialty clinics, where possible. Other highlights from this phase include service delivery in the following specialty areas:
Electrophysiology, cath lab, cardiac stress testing, outpatient heart monitoring
Respiratory: Level three sleep disorders testing, respiratory outpatient clinic, tuberculosis clinic and treatments
Eye centre testing
Dermatology clinics
Cast clinics
Increased fetal testing at high risk antenatal clinics
Phase 3: Further Expansion of Everyday Health Services (dates to be determined)
Highlights from this phase include prioritizing resumption of service delivery in the following areas:
Chronic Disease Management/Wellness Programs/Stroke Prevention
Opioid Agonist Therapy
Specialized services for clients with developmental disabilities, Autism and brain injuries
Continued re-introduction of mental health and addictions services, including opening of social detox and addictions inpatient treatment
Phase 4: Full Resumption of Services (dates to be determined)
Final actions required for full resumption of services, including
Addition of long-waiting elective surgeries and previously postponed surgeries; and
Re-open hip/knee outpatient clinic.
