After waiting several years to have her procedure booked, a Riverview woman said her surgery was cancelled due to COVID-19 outbreaks at The Moncton Hospital.
“All I can do is wait. I guess there is not really much we can do. The hospital’s hands are tied and the doctor’s hands are tied right now,” said Tracy Lynn LaPointe, who said she was scheduled for a hysterectomy this Friday.
Outbreaks of COVID-19 on both the oncology and general surgery wards at The Moncton Hospital continue to cause delays in patient care.
According to the hospital’s executive director, there have been no new cases of COVID-19 reported on the units and testing of staff and patients continues.
But a total 37 surgeries booked into Friday have been and are being cancelled and patients in the oncology unit are also being impacted.
“Oncology treatments for inpatients with COVID-19 have been put on hold,” said Christa Wheeler-Thorne, The Moncton Hospital’s executive director.
LaPointe said she received a call from the hospital on Monday indicating that her surgery had been cancelled.
“I am frustrated,” said Lapointe, who suffers from painful endometriosis. She said that, so far, she has not been given a rebooking date.
“They said that once the restrictions are lifted that they would call me with a new surgery date,” she said.
The hospital is exploring the possibility of allowing some patients to be admitted to the units before the 28-day measures are lifted, said Wheeler-Thorne.
“Discussions are taking place regarding this matter. We are examining the feasibility of a contingency plan that would allow us to safely admit patients requiring more intensive treatment to both units sooner than the initial 28-day timeline,” she said.
The two units currently remain closed to admissions and transfers and access to the units is being limited.