Concordia Hospital's new operating room opens to boost joint replacement surgeries

A newoperating room at Winnipeg's Concordia Hospital, first announced more than a year ago to increase capacityfor hip and knee replacement procedures,has finally opened.

"Today marks a very significant milestone in the history of Concordia Hospital," saidCarrie Fruehm, Concordia's chief operating officer.

"This expansion represents a major step forward in our mission to provide health and healing and hope to our patients and address the growing demand for joint replacement surgeries."

In addition to the operating room the fifth at Concordia the hospital has addedfour new in-patient beds, an additional orthopedic surgeon, extra nurses and health-care aides, allied health staff to help with patient rehabilitation and investment in anesthesia staff,Fruehm said.

The province spent $5.9 million on the expansion while the Concordia Foundation contributed $350,000 from fundraising.

The northeast Winnipeg hospitalis the province's leading site for joint replacement surgeries.

More than 3,000 surgeries were performed at Concordia last year, including more than 1,900 same-day and in-patient hip and knee replacements, Health Minister Audrey Gordon said.

The new operating room will be open seven days a week andincrease capacity by up to 1,000 for inpatient and same-day hip and knee replacement procedures per year, she said.

However, the Opposition NDPsaid in a statement Mondaythe update comes six months late, and after seven years of cuts to health care under the PC government government which includedclosing Concordia's emergency room and making it an urgent care centre instead.