The number of surgeries performed over the past year is well below the targets set by the Ministry of Health and Social Care as part of this project, which aimed to move all surgeries from Chicoutimi to Jonquière in one day.

When the opening of the new external operating room at Jonquière Hospital was announced in the presence of Regional Minister Andrée Laforest, the management of the Integrated Health and Social Services Center of the University (CIUSSS) of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean said that between 7,000 and 9,000 operations would be performed held there annually. The press conference took place at the end of May.

Almost a year later, Radio-Canada received the number of surgeries it had performed in the past year. They amount to 1917, which is far below the set targets

The most common interventions were in ophthalmology with 810 out of 3000 planned interventions per year.

Only one room in operation

Only one of the two state-of-the-art operating theaters in Jonquière is used. the CIUSSS is said to have made it clear at the opening that due to a lack of staff only one room would be in operation immediately.

This statement surprised the President of the Union of Care Professionals of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (FIQ), Julie Boivin.

I have no explanation as to why it isn’t rolling, given that the manpower is there to do so. I was told that they would be able to perform some of these operations. We’ll find them other work. Some helped out in another operating room. In the investments made, the interventions should remain in the public domain and not be directed towards the private sector. It’s an aberrationconsists Julie Boivin.

Private

While the outer block of Jonquière remains half-empty, public network doctors operate in private facilities, mainly for cataracts. In 2021 the CIUSSS made an agreement with the LASIK MD clinic. This agreement will be renewed every six months and will expire on March 31, 2023.

After CIUSSS, the agreement with the private sector allowed to regain the upper hand on the ophthalmology waiting list in times of the pandemic while the Chicoutimi block was closed. In the current year, 1,651 eye operations were performed in the public and private sectors.

What I’ve heard, and what’s really very special, is that the operations that should be on an equal footing are moving to the private sector. I don’t understand why, because labor is available in the Jonquière block. It is certain that there is someone who makes a profit from what is being done in the private sectorsaid Julie Boivin.

the CIUSSS declined an interview but provided data. Management intends to be 100% utilized when the workforce profile allows for it.

Jonquière member Yannick Gagnon said through his deputy that he was aware of the underutilization of the Jonquière operating room and was very keen that the second operating room was put to good use.