With no overnight beds, Women’s College Hospital in Toronto says it’s designed to keep people out of hospital. It’s the only fully ambulatory hospital in the province. Part of its mission is to improve the broader health system and it’s a proponent of the advantages of ambulatory, or outpatient, surgery. The surgeon-in-chief at the hospital believes doing more joint-replacements can take significant pressure off the entire hospital system. Ultra short-acting spinal and regional anesthesia shortens recovery time and allows patients to walk comfortably immediately after surgery. The service includes a virtual care app that allows patients to keep in touch with their care teams and remote monitoring devices, including step counters. Fifty-thousand hip and knee replacements are conducted every year in Canada.
NBHC Sustainability