The Northern Health Authority has taken over the Prince George Surgery Centre lease and equipment and as of Monday assumed operation of the downtown clinic.
Opened in 2003 by a group of local doctors, the centre offered multi-specialist, private surgery for patients from B.C. and Alberta seeking orthopedic, general, cataract and cosmetic surgical services.
In a prepared release, Northern Health said patients from Prince George and surrounding communities will continue to benefit from the centre, located on the second floor of 500 Victoria St.
“When you or someone you love requires a surgery, long wait times can be stressful and disheartening,” said Health Minister Adrian Dix. “That's why we are supporting Northern Health in taking on surgical operations at the Prince George Surgery Centre where people requiring low-complexity procedures can receive care. This will also allow the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia to prioritize capacity for more complex surgeries.”
The announcement comes after Vancouver orthopedic surgeon Brian Day’s appeal to challenge the public health care system was dismissed April 6 by the B.C. Supreme Court. That ended Day’s 14-year fight to give patients access to private surgery as an alternative to long wait times under the public system that has forced some northern B.C. patients to wait up to two years for surgery.
When it was run privately, the Prince George centre was owned, directed and managed by its own physician team. It offered cosmetic, orthopedics and cataract day-surgery procedures and was designed to complement existing public health care services in the region.
Northern Health has been working on the transition to acquire the equipment and office/operating room space used by the Prince George Surgery Centre, developing a plan that will retain as many staff as possible.
