N.S. Health reintroducing programs and services impacted by COVID-19

Nova Scotia Health announced Tuesday that it’s continuing to make progress in reintroducing programs and services that were slowed or stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Over the past several months our teams of health care workers across the province have made significant efforts to increase the level of procedures, appointments and surgeries,” CEO Dr. Brendan Carr said in a press release.

“We understand Nova Scotians are concerned about any delays in access to care and in response, our staff and physicians are being quite diligent in prioritizing patients.”

Nova Scotia Health said it has focused on key programs and services since it began its recovery on May 25, including surgeries, endoscopic procedures, diagnostic imaging, blood collection and outpatient services.

Nova Scotia Health has released data demonstrating its progress in increasing level of procedures and appointments since May 25:

Surgery

• Seventy-one per cent of the patients who had their scheduled surgeries postponed have now had their surgery completed or rebooked.
• Aug. 24 to 30: 1,205 surgeries were performed (159 per cent increase, 93 per cent of 2019 volume).

Endoscopic procedures

• Aug. 24 to 30: 678 endoscopic procedures were performed (662 per cent increase, 78 per cent of 2019 volume).

Diagnostic imaging

• Computed tomography (CT) — Aug. 24 to 30: 1,753 exams (84 per cent increase, 84 per cent of 2019 volume).
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) — Aug. 24 to 30: 572 exams (133 per cent increase, 81 per cent of 2019 volume).
• Ultrasound — Aug. 24 to 30: 1,955 exams (123 per cent increase, 89 per cent of 2019 volume).

Laboratory services

• The number of blood collection samples collected during August was 62,822 – a 91 per cent increase.

Outpatient clinics

• The number of outpatient services appointments during August was 116,990, a 23 per cent increase.

Over the past several months, Nova Scotia Health said it has improved its work within the mental health and addictions program.

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According to Nova Scotia Health, the improvements include the acceleration of the launch of e-mental health and addictions options, the launch of a new mental health website and having met with people by phone and virtual care platforms 137,270 times.

“Within Nova Scotia Health, there has been significant work accomplished to improve access to health programs and services,” said Carr.

“This work will continue over the next several months and we will use what we have learned over the past number of months to determine how we provide services in a second wave of COVID-19.”