Diagnostic and surgical backlog slowly improving in Manitoba

According to numbers from the province, diagnostic and surgical backlogs are improving as health restrictions continue to loosen in Manitoba.

The province said it is taking a phased and orderly approach to restore surgical slates to pre-pandemic levels.

Numbers for some diagnostic procedures show waitlists have improved since the end of 2021.

The waitlist for CT scans was 19,493 in December. By the end of January, it dropped to 17,241 – a 12 per cent improvement.

Ultrasounds improved from 24,392 in December to 20,461 in January, marking a 16 per cent improvement.

And MRIs went from 16,994 to 14,780, improving by 13 per cent.

The province said more surgical slates are also opening up.

"Health Sciences Centre has moved from running between seven and 10 surgical slates during the week of January 3 to running 12 to 13 surgical slates in the week of February 7," the province said on its website.

The province also said Concordia Hospital has been operating at full capacity with four slates each day, all cardiac slates are operating at St. Boniface General Hospital and Brandon is now at its pre-COVID surgical and endoscopy volumes.

"Additional progress is expected over the next two weeks. During the week of March 7, two surgical slates and one endoscopy room will go back into operation in Winnipeg hospital."

In the Southern Health Region, the province said surgeries will be "ramping up" at several hospitals in the coming weeks.

The government also noted that many staff working in COVID activities will be returned to their original assignments on March 14 and that will help increase surgical slate levels.