OR conversion gets underway next week
Work will begin on June 27th to convert two of the hospital’s operating rooms into Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) suites.
The renovation is expected to be completed by early September. It is being funded by a one-million dollar donation from the Richmond Hospital Foundation.
About MIS surgery
Minimally invasive surgery is fast becoming the standard of care in BC. By performing more surgeries in a less invasive manner, that means less pain for the patient, a much faster recovery time and decreased surgery wait times too.
MIS involves making a number of dime-sized incisions instead of a single long cut, making it kinder to a patient’s body. An endoscope is inserted into one of the incisions and the image is then projected onto monitors in the operating room, helping the surgeons gain a magnified view of the surgical area. Common MIS procedures include bariatric surgery, appendectomies, gall bladder removals, hysterectomies and urological surgeries.
This is a good example of how we are adapting to the latest technological advances to increase patient flow and enhance the ability of staff to provide safe, high-quality patient care for years to come. The goal is to relieve some of the pressure on our healthcare system by finding more efficient ways of providing care—and minimally invasive suites is one such option. In many cases, patients can expect to be released within a day of their surgery, meaning they can recover in the comfort of their own home.