In 2017, the CIHI pointed out only 62% of British Columbians in need of hip replacements and 46% of those in need of knee replacements received the procedures within the recommended maximum wait of six months. The province will turn its Burnaby Hospital into a model centre for hip and knee replacement surgery as an additional step in its program. The hope is that the region will see 4,331 joint-replacement-surgeries performed in 2018-19 versus 3,336 the previous fiscal year. B.C.’s health minister announced $75 million for the upcoming year to increase the number of hip and knee replacements by 4,000 across the province, then $100 million per year in 2019. Surgeons reacted by saying the prioritization of hip and knee surgeries could result in a negative impact for patients waiting for other types of orthopedic surgeries.
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