Health services continue expanding, universal COVID testing becomes available
Beginning July 13, health services in the province will continue to expand with the availability of everyday programs and services, as outlined in Phase 3 of the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s resumption plan. Services becoming available this week include mental health and addictions support, such as social detox and addictions inpatient treatment programs, programs that support chronic disease management and stroke prevention, and wellness programs.
Specialized services for developmental disabilities, autism, and brain injuries will also be allowed to resume. Medical imaging capacity is also increasing to 90 per cent of pre-COVID service levels, including MRI and CT services.
The availability of surgical procedures will also be increasing, including more urgent, emergent, and elective procedures. The next phase will see surgical volumes increase as high as 75 per cent to 85 per cent of preCOVID-19 levels, but will vary by site.
In the government press release, the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Hospital was noted to be “achieving beyond 100 per cent of their pre-COVID surgical levels as a result of new surgeons that were recruited to the community.”
Since the SHA first began implementing its resumption plan in May, 544 services have resumed across the province. The southern part of Saskatchewan, including Regina and Moose Jaw, has seen more availability of services than the northern part of the province. Virtual appointments continue to be encouraged, with occasional in-person appointments held where necessary. The SHA will also be making universal COVID-19 testing available to the public on request, which began on July 14. Symptoms will not be required to request a COVID-19 test this way, and those seeking a referral are to contact HealthLine 811.
Currently, the SHA is able to process around 600 tests per day, with a maximum capacity of 1,800 tests. With the launch of public testing, the SHA will be prioritizing testing requests based on several factors, and the time between a testing request and receiving the test will likely vary between patients.