Not all surgeries require travel

Your test results are back and your doctor says you need surgery. Chances are if your doctor is based in Brampton, Bolton, Mississauga or Newmarket, they’re going to send you to the nearest city for surgery.
“Depending on your type of surgery you can request to have it done at your local hospital. Headwaters Health Care Centre in Orangeville has some of the province’s shortest wait times for certain surgeries,” explained Dr. Raafat Salih, chief of surgery at Headwaters.
Headwaters surgeons perform urology, gynaecology, ophthalmology, ear, nose and throat surgeries, and general surgical procedures, relatively quickly due to an efficient surgical schedule.
“I never thought about telling my doctor where I wanted to have my surgery. I always went wherever I was sent, but it is definitely more difficult driving to the city for day surgery, or if you have to stay overnight, it becomes difficult for your partner to stay with you especially since a lot of the downtown hospitals don’t have open visiting hours,” Ron, who lives in Shelburne, said.
Physicians tend to refer to colleagues they’ve worked with for years and may not be aware of other more convenient options for the patient.
If a patient would prefer to have their surgery done locally, they should feel comfortable telling their physician.
“It’s common practice to refer to your network of colleagues, but if you are thinking about your patients needs, it makes sense to suggest a surgeon close to their home community,” Salih added.
Patients facing long wait times for surgery at downtown hospitals are looking at going to nearby smaller hospitals to reduce the time it takes to book their surgery.  In some cases, patients are
waiting a long time just to get from their family doctor to the specialist.
Smaller hospitals, like Headwaters, have shown success in improving wait times for certain surgeries.
“Not all patients need to come into the city for certain procedures that are offered with the same quality of care at their local hospital,” Salih said.
Complex procedures still need to be referred to regional centres specializing in doing those complex procedures, but there are other surgical procedures that can be performed with very high quality in smaller hospitals including breast cancer surgery, gallbladder, prostate, hernia repair, gynaecology, ophthalmology, plastics, dental, and obstetrics.