Saskatchewan expands private surgery contract, aiming to cut wait times

The provincial government is expanding its contract with a private company to perform more publicly funded surgeries in Saskatoon and Regina as part of its plan to reduce surgical wait times.

Surgical Centres Inc. has partnered with the province since 2012, performing day surgeries such as cataract procedures, dental extractions and minor orthopedic operations.

“This additional capacity frees up our hospitals to serve more complex patients,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said Tuesday.

Under the renewed contract the company will expand its services to include gynecological procedures and overnight orthopedic surgeries such as joint replacements.

Cockrill said the expansion is essential to reducing waitlists for hip and knee replacements in the province.

The contract runs five years and could total $177 million if extended to seven.

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Surgical Centres Inc. performs about 17 per cent of the roughly 100,000 surgeries completed each year in Saskatchewan. The province’s goal is to complete 450,000 surgeries by the end of 2028.

Cockrill said the province has surpassed its goal of completing 90 per cent of surgeries within eight months, reaching nearly 92 per cent. The next target is to achieve that benchmark within six months.

“We need to be ambitious,” he said. “I don’t want wait times just to stay where they’re at. They need to get better for Saskatchewan patients.”

Saskatchewan Health Authority CEO Andrew Will said the partnership has played a key role in reducing surgical wait times.

“With their support, we’ve reduced wait times and ensured more patients receive the procedures they need sooner,” Will said.

Dr. Paul Murphy, head of ophthalmology in Saskatoon, said timely access to surgery can greatly improve patients’ quality of life.

“For my patients, timely access to surgery is about far more than clearer vision. It’s about safety, independence and being able to do the things that make life meaningful,” Murphy said.