​

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed challenges on our health-care system, the likes of which we have never seen before. These challenges were not just in caring for those with COVID-19, but also in managing resources that allowed for that care to take place. This forced health-care organizations to be more innovative and flexible, in order to ensure that all patients received the care they need.

In the early days of the pandemic, and then again during the third wave, the Ontario government issued Directive 2, asking hospitals to postpone non-urgent surgeries. This allowed hospitals to redeploy staff to ICUs and COVID-19 units, as they managed the increasing volumes in those areas. While this enabled hospitals to provide care for those in need, it resulted in a backlog of patients waiting for their surgeries.

Ophthalmology surgeries have been a significant portion of this backlog, including over 7,000 cataract surgeries at The Ottawa Hospital alone. But the team at The Ottawa Hospital began working on solutions to offer these surgeries early in the pandemic, without impacting the operations at the hospital.

One of those solutions was a partnership with Focus Eye Centre, a private clinic in Ottawa. The partnership involved several levels of management, legal and financial implications, engagement with staff and unions, and Ministry of Health Approval.

Early engagement of clinical teams, physicians and patients was key. Discussion with union partners took place very early, as hospital staff worked with them through the details, to proactively ensure that it was clear to everyone that the goal was always to meet the needs of our patients.

"Engaging relevant stakeholders early was a key take away for us," said Suzanne Madore, Executive Vice President, Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Nursing Executive at The Ottawa Hospital. "There were a lot of moving parts, and several groups who would be impacted by this, so ensuring that everyone has the information they need at all times was crucial to ensuring the success of this partnership."

While there were many considerations in this partnership, essentially it meant that the hospital leased operating room and clinical space, medical supplies and clinical staff from Focus Eye Centre. The hospital provided physicians, and all the patients who received care here were patients of The Ottawa Hospital.

Through the Vision Care Network, The Ottawa Hospital reached out to the Provincial Vision Task Force who referred the hospital to the amendment of PHA 4(2): "Extension of general approval under subsection 4(2) of the Public Hospitals Act for temporary hospital capacity expansion". This amendment provided hospitals with the flexibility required to meet service demands related to COVID-19.

The impacts were felt almost immediately. Patients were very satisfied with the experience, and the ability to have their surgery faster. The partnership resulted in over 1,100 additional surgical cases taking place, and approximately 27 to 45 per cent increase in efficiency per day.

As hospitals and health organizations continue to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, they are always looking for solutions to the challenges that it presents. Partnerships like this one are just one example of the adaptation that has taken place among hospitals, in order to ensure that every patient receives the care they need.