Loss of out-of-province surgeries could leave Manitobans waiting months longer, patients say | CBC News

Miron Kereluk can barely walk without feeling exhausted.

A doctor has made it clear: Kereluk needs spinal surgery to walk, even stand, without pain, but now the Winnipegger believes his wait for that procedure has gotten longer — and he’s blaming the new provincial government.

“We had some hope, in fact, that we could get surgery done in Fargo,” N.D., he said.  “And now with the new government cancelling all of that, that’s a sinking feeling — like, what do we do?”

One of the NDP’s first consequential decisions in government was to put a stop to sending patients out of province for surgeries, an initiative of the former Progressive Conservative government that began in early 2022.

The Tories continually described the free out-of-province option as a temporary measure while it built up surgical capacity in the public health-care system in Manitoba.

However, the NDP, while in opposition and, as of October, in government, alleged the task force arranging the surgeries prioritized that choice at the expense of publicly funded Manitoba hospitals. The government announced in November it would disband the task force, and only patients already in the queue would be approved for out-of-province surgery. 

The decision is leaving people including Kereluk worried their time in pain is being unnecessarily prolonged. 

Condition gradually getting ‘worse and worse’

A retired seller of commercial and industrial electrical products, Kereluk says his wait for surgery from the public health-care system is scheduled to be as long as two years — one year to see the surgeon, one year to wait for surgery.

“Our family doctor said, ‘more than likely, this is not going to get better. It’s just going to gradually get worse and worse all the time.'”

Years ago he was seeing a steady rotation of medical professionals, from massage and athletic therapy to a chiropractor, but nothing resolved the worsening issues with his back and with walking. He trusted a doctor who said at one point he would have to live with it. 

His condition eventually deteriorated to the point where he needed a cane and, now, a walker.

He was diagnosed this spring with severe spinal stenosis, a condition that pinches his nerves while he walks, impairing his movement.

His wife, Marilyn, watches as Miron catches his breath after a short walk around the kitchen and living room of their Charleswood home.

His condition has gotten considerably worse since the spring, she said.

“It’s getting harder all the time.”

She retired earlier than planned to take care of her husband. The couple has cancelled vacations, and his hobbies, including hunting, fishing and woodworking, are no longer possible. 

Their family doctor has said Miron will likely need a wheelchair soon.

“I can’t lift him into bed, I’m not strong enough for that,” Marilyn said. “We want to stay in our home — we’re in our early 60s; we’re 61 and 63. Like, we’re too young to not have a life.”

Miron isn’t sold the new government will drastically reduce wait lists in time to help people such as him. He believes an out-of-province surgery would cut his waiting by months.

“I’ve worked all my life. I’ve paid taxes. … I’ve never even collected as much as an unemployment check in my life,” he said. “I’ve never been a burden on the health-care system before — and now that I need it, I can’t get it.”

Judy Waytiuk is grateful she’s heading to Fargo, N.D., for her second hip surgery on Tuesday.

A few months ago, she too could hardly walk. Her meals often consisted of toast, cereal or the takeout Chinese food she would buy in bulk, because she couldn’t stand long enough in the kitchen to make a complete meal. 

After travelling to North Dakota in August for her first hip surgery, she still copes with pain from her other hip, but can now walk, cook and play with her three dogs with relative ease. 

This wouldn’t have been possible without out-of-province treatment, Waytiuk, a retired Winnipeg journalist, said. “I would still be waiting right now if I hadn’t done that.”

2nd hip surgery happening months earlier

She’s getting her second hip surgery in North Dakota, only three months after inquiring. The wait in Manitoba would be around a year, she was told. 

Waytiuk can still travel to the United States for treatment because her appointment was booked before the province instituted a Nov. 1 cutoff.

She feels sad for those Manitobans who won’t have the choice of travelling for an out-of-province surgery, but she admits to holding mixed feelings about the option being cancelled.

When she was in Fargo in August, every person on the same floor of the hospital was a Manitoban, she said.

“I don’t know how many people have gone out of province, but it’s got to have been a big pot full of money that could have been used to help improve the state of the wait list in Manitoba.”

It’s one of the main rationales behind the government’s decision.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara says the province shouldn’t be buying surgical capacity outside the province.

“I think it’s really important to note that folks being sent out of country, out of province for care isn’t the best practice,” Asagwara said Friday after an unrelated news conference.

“It’s so important to recognize that people being able to get care in their own communities — where their families are, where their communities can support them or where they can recover safely or navigate any complications in the safest way — that’s the approach that we need to take in our province.”

In November, the province announced surgical slates will be expanded at Winnipeg’s Grace Hospital and spinal surgery programs would be expanded at Concordia Hospital and Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg and Brandon Regional Health Centre. 

Progressive Conservative health critic Kathleen Cook argues the government isn’t in the position to remove a treatment option until more staff are in place. 

“I think the NDP has put the cart before the horse,” she said. “The first thing I think that needs to happen is a robust staffing plan.”

The task force arranged for more than 780 surgeries to be performed outside Manitoba. The province has said it can’t specify the cost of these procedures because the contracts signed with the hospital providers are confidential. 

A spokesperson says 112 people are currently waiting for out-of-province treatment.