The chief executive of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is defending the hospital record on hip and knee replacements after the LHIN reported wait times at the hospital are the longest in the area.
Colin Patey says the waiting list issue arose due to he type of practice the surgeons are in, but there are other ways to measure success.
"In fact we have the lowest cost in the LHIN as well as the highest quality outcomes," he says. "[The surgeons] have wonderful reputations, not only in Chatham-Kent, but in the LHIN region and in the province. And they are getting referrals from outside Chatham-Kent which they would like, obviously, to honour."
Patey says hospital stays after surgery are lower at CKHA than the LHIN average, and it is able to release a higher percent of patients directly to their homes.
He says re-admissions and revisions following surgery are also at provincial averages.
