The Sunrise Health Region is receiving $117,500 from the Saskatchewan government to improve patients’ access to surgical care.

The funding will enable the health region to continue to enhance post-operative and outpatient rehabilitation support and provide an increase in home care services to support additional needs across the continuum. Success has already been achieved in the Sunrise Health Region via Surgical Initiative funding with the addition of visiting orthopedic and vascular surgeons in 2011.

“We are grateful that funds continue to be made available to our region through the Surgical Initiative,” said Roberta Wiwcharuk, Vice President of Health Services with Sunrise Health Region. “The funds allow us to provide better access to surgical services and supports that may not have otherwise been possible.”

The investment is part of $60.5 million in additional funding for the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative, announced in the March 21st provincial budget.

The funding will help health regions collectively complete an additional 4,380 surgeries in 2012-13 and support innovations that improve surgical care.

Sunrise Health Region is currently meeting the Surgical Initiative’s Year 2 target of having no patients wait more than 12 months for surgery. By 2014, the province’s goal is to provide all patients with the option of having surgery within three months.

“Saskatchewan has made it a priority to provide sooner, safer, smarter care that results in shorter wait times and a better surgical experience for patients,” Greg Ottenbreit, MLA said on behalf of Health Minister Don McMorris. “We appreciate the strong support of Sunrise Health Region in improving access to surgical services and helping us put patients first.”

The Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative began in April 2010. Since then, wait times have dropped dramatically. The number of patients waiting over 18 months for surgery has dropped 85 per cent, the number waiting 12 months for surgery has decreased 74 per cent, and the number waiting over six months has dropped 53 per cent. The number of people waiting more than three months is down 39 per cent.