Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie
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Recent increases in orthopedic surgical services in Canada have added further demand to an already stretched orthopedic workforce. Various initiatives have been undertaken across Canada to meet this demand. One successful model has been the use of physician assistants (PAs) within the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA). This study documents the effect of PAs working in an arthroplasty practice from the perspective of patients and health care providers. We also describe the costs, time savings for surgeons and the effects on surgical throughput and waiting times. ⋯ Physician assistants integrate well into the care team and can increase surgical volumes to reduce wait times in a cost-effective manner.
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The disparity between the number of patients waiting for an organ transplant and availability of donor organs increases each year in Canada. Donation after cardiac death (DCD), following withdrawal of life support in patients with hopeless prognoses, is a means of addressing the shortage with the potential to increase the number of transplantable organs. ⋯ Our initial results compare favourably with those from the transplantation of organs procured from donors after brain death. Donation after cardiac death can be an important means of increasing the number of organs available for transplant, and its widespread implementation in Canada should be encouraged.